By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Ife Federal Constituency, Dr. Akíntólà Najmud-deen Akinjide, has urged Nigerians to prioritise security and welfare above every other consideration when electing political leaders in the forthcoming elections.
Akinjide made the call in a statement released on Tuesday, 26 May, 2026, where he warned that rising insecurity, kidnappings, killings and banditry across the country demand urgent political attention and strategic leadership from elected officials.
The university lecturer in Contemporary Strategic Studies observed that insecurity had continued to spread across several parts of Nigeria, insisting that voters must begin to assess candidates based on their understanding of security management, community policing and inclusive governance.
According to him, the persistent cases of kidnapping, maiming and killings of innocent Nigerians have reached alarming levels, thereby making security a non-negotiable issue in the country’s democratic process.
“The rate of incessant kidnapping, maiming and killing of innocent Nigerians has remained a myriad,” he stated.
Akinjide stressed that Nigerians must look beyond ethnic, cultural or economic sentiments while casting their votes, noting that only candidates with practical and effective security strategies should be entrusted with leadership positions.
“Thus, it is high time that Nigerian electorates prioritise their safety and welfare far above other issues that are secondary by casting their votes only for political parties and candidates with well-defined and robust understanding of not only economic or cultural alignment but a workable and effective strategic planning that stands to nip in the bud the menace posed by banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in various regions, states and communities in the country,” he said.
He also cited security statistics to underscore the gravity of the crisis, revealing that more than 15,000 deaths and about 2.5 million displaced persons were recorded across Nigeria’s North-East and North-West regions between 2020 and 2025.
The SDP chieftain added that the worsening situation has continued to spread to other parts of the country, making it imperative for citizens to use their votes responsibly during elections.
“Statistics have provided a staggering number of over fifteen thousand deaths and about 2.5 million Nigerians displaced across northeast and northwest zones between 2020 and 2025 and significantly spreading to other parts of the country,” he stated.
Akinjide maintained that the electorate must support leaders who are prepared to strengthen community policing, ensure accountability in security spending and implement policies capable of improving citizens’ welfare.
“The unfortunate data drive home why electorates must be mindful of how and why they must utilise effectively their voting power to determine elected officials at various levels that would fund community policing, audit security spending and implement inclusive welfare,” he added.
Consequently, he urged Nigerians to treat security as a critical national issue, warning that meaningful development cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear and instability.
“Nigerian voters are enjoined to consider the security threat as non-negotiable for any meaningful development to be recorded in the nation,” he said.
