Political parties, presidential candidates and National Assembly contenders have signed the first National Peace Accord on issue-based campaigning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The agreement commits political actors to rejecting electoral violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other actions capable of threatening peace or undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
The accord was signed in Abuja on Tuesday at a ceremony organized by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, just a day before the official commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 elections.
The event brought together the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan; political party leaders; presidential and National Assembly candidates; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders.
Among those who signed the accord were President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi; Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo; and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore.
Also present were APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, PRP presidential candidate Donald Duke, Labour Party candidate Chibuzor Okereke, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, PRP National Chairman Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, as well as federal and state lawmakers, party officials and other candidates.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by members of the diplomatic community, including European Union Ambassador to Nigeria Gautier Mignot and Swiss Ambassador Patrick Egloff.
However, some prominent political figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, were absent. Atiku is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, while Makinde is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement.
The Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was represented at the event by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Agwai.
Tinubu: Campaigns Should Focus on Issues
The peace accord comes amid increasing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, with issues such as the economy, insecurity, unemployment, poverty, infrastructure and electoral credibility expected to dominate political debates.
Under INEC’s revised timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are expected to take place on February 6, 2027.
Speaking through SGF George Akume, President Tinubu urged political parties and candidates to place Nigeria’s interests above personal and partisan ambitions.
He warned that political competition must not turn into a battle in which ethnic or religious divisions are exploited for electoral advantage.
Tinubu encouraged candidates to campaign based on policies, programs and competing ideas capable of addressing the country’s challenges.
He said the signing of the accord represented a commitment by political leaders to put national interest ahead of political ambitions.
The President also reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation, incitement and the misuse of digital platforms, including artificial intelligence, to manipulate voters.
He commended the National Peace Committee for its continued involvement in Nigeria’s electoral process and highlighted technological developments such as Permanent Voter Cards and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System as steps towards improving election management.
INEC: Elections Are Not Wars
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan described the peace accord as more than a ceremonial exercise, saying it provided an opportunity for political actors to establish acceptable standards of conduct before campaigns officially began.
He noted that Wednesday, August 19, marked the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 elections.
Amupitan said Nigerians expected candidates to use the campaign period to discuss solutions to the nation’s problems rather than engage in insults, personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.
He expressed concern over what he described as a resurgence of hate speech, political polarization, misinformation and personality-driven campaigns.
According to him, the economy, security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion should form the center of political conversations.
The INEC chairman described elections as a competition for public service rather than warfare, stressing that Nigerians were looking for solutions rather than insults.
He also warned political parties and supporters against announcing unofficial results or circulating unverified information on social media.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC was preparing to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections.
He assured political parties that the electoral commission would provide a level playing field and had no preferred candidate.
National Peace Committee: Campaigns Must Return to Issues
Representing Abdulsalami Abubakar, General Martin Agwai said the National Peace Committee had facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015, including five national agreements and 25 subnational accords.
He explained that the latest agreement was introduced partly because political campaigns had increasingly moved away from manifestoes and policy debates towards name-calling, personal attacks and character assassination.
The accord seeks to encourage candidates to compete on ideas, respect opposing views, organise supporters peacefully, protect voters and electoral officials, and reject hate speech and misinformation.
The committee has also established an Election Security Information Hub to monitor electoral developments, identify potential threats and provide early warnings to relevant stakeholders.
Peter Obi Calls for Accountability
Peter Obi questioned the need for political leaders to sign a peace agreement before behaving responsibly, arguing that anyone seeking public office should demonstrate exemplary conduct from the outset.
He said candidates should ensure that their behaviour reflects the responsibilities of the offices they hope to occupy.
Obi also urged political actors to make their campaigns responsive to the everyday problems facing Nigerians.
Reflecting on deaths reportedly associated with the recent Osun governorship election, he called for the victims to be remembered and their families supported.
He stressed that no Nigerian should have to lose their life because of an election.
Obi said his biggest concern about 2027 was the credibility of the electoral process and whether Nigerians’ votes would genuinely count.
When asked what punishment should face candidates who violate the peace accord, he said voters should have the final say by refusing to support them at the polls.
Sowore Questions the Value of the Accord
AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of the peace agreement.
He argued that previous peace accords had not necessarily prevented electoral violence and suggested that signing another agreement without clear and enforceable sanctions could become merely ceremonial.
Sowore pointed to the violence associated with the recent Osun governorship election and questioned how an election connected to deaths could be described as peaceful.
He also raised concerns about the electronic transmission and uploading of results from the Osun election, arguing that electoral results should be uploaded promptly and transparently.
Sowore called instead for what he described as a “justice accord”, insisting that political actors who breach the agreement should face meaningful consequences.
Despite his reservations, he said his participation was motivated by his desire to change Nigeria’s political system from within.
Police Promise Neutrality
Representing Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Umar Shehu pledged that the police would provide security for voters, candidates, electoral officials and other participants.
He said the police were not concerned about which political party wins or loses, but were focused on ensuring that eligible Nigerians could vote without intimidation or fear.
The police leadership also appealed to political parties and their supporters to cooperate with security agencies and avoid actions capable of triggering violence before, during or after the elections.
IPAC Urges Political Actors to Maintain Restraint
The Inter-Party Advisory Council Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, urged political parties, candidates, campaign organisations and spokespersons to respect the provisions of the peace accord.
He called for an end to fake news, personal attacks and abusive political rhetoric, urging candidates instead to promote tolerance, civility and constructive debate.
With campaigns officially beginning, the major challenge will now be whether political parties and candidates can translate the commitments made at the peace accord ceremony into their actual conduct on the campaign trail.
