Political parties and presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections on Tuesday signed a National Peace Accord in Abuja, committing to issue-based campaigns and to reject violence, hate speech, fake news, and ethnic or religious incitement.
The signing, coordinated by the National Peace Committee, NPC, in partnership with The Kukah Centre, came a day before the official commencement of campaigns for the 2027 elections on August 19.
The accord is anchored on the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC guidelines. According to the organisers, it is intended to prevent political competition from degenerating into intimidation, misinformation, and violence.
Project Manager of the NPC at The Kukah Centre, Asabe Ndaye, said the document is “a public commitment backed by law, not just a ceremonial gesture.”
“We are here to establish the boundaries within which political competition must take place,” she said. “Our competition will not become war and disagreements will not degenerate to violence.”
She added that the committee has facilitated 31 peace accords since 2014 and will monitor compliance throughout the election cycle.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. The ADC candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was absent.
“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said in response to a question on sanctions for violators.You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person. The process that will make you answer ‘His Excellency’ should be excellent.”
Obi also condemned election-related deaths, referencing recent violence during the Osun governorship election. “Nobody needs to die for an election. It is painful, and I wish it never happened again,” he said.
He questioned the need for a peace accord in the first place. “We don’t even need to sign this. We’re seeking an office where we should be exemplary,” Obi added.
INEC Chairman Prof. Amupitan said the timing of the accord was deliberate, with presidential and National Assembly elections slated for January 16, 2027, and governorship and Assembly elections for February 6.
He warned against the rise of hate speech, misinformation, and identity politics.
“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate,” Amupitan said. “Make 2027 a marketplace of ideas where candidates explain not only what they will do, but how.”
He disclosed that INEC will deploy about 1.4 million ad-hoc staff across more than 176,000 polling units and has spent the last eight months upgrading technology, logistics, and training.
“But technology cannot replace character,” he cautioned. “It is not the signatures written on this Accord today that preserve democracy; it is the character of the leaders who hold the pen.”
The NPC revealed troubling data from its Election Security Information Hub. Between June 2025 and August 2026, it recorded 2,510 security incidents nationwide. States most affected include Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, and Plateau.
The hub also documented 381 electoral offences, with the FCT, Osun, Oyo, and Lagos recording significant cases. Leading threats included vote-buying, thuggery, intimidation, misinformation, and voter suppression.
Reviewing the 2023 elections, Ndaye said 43% of violations of the previous accord were related to non-issue-based campaigns. Party spokespersons accounted for 58% of those breaches, with Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, and Benue among the worst hit.
DIG Shehu, representing the IGP, said election security begins long before voting day. He warned against the use of armed groups and criminal elements to intimidate opponents.
“You cannot publicly preach peace while privately encouraging violence,” he said, and called for greater inclusion of women, youths, and persons with disabilities in campaigns.
Representing President Tinubu, SGF George Akume said the APC was committed to the accord. He cited INEC’s deployment of BVAS and PVCs as improvements in election management and urged parties to avoid ethnic and religious sentiments.
“As the campaign season kicks off, I commit myself and my party to the tenets of this accord,” Akume said. “We reject violence, hate speech, and misinformation, including AI-generated content.”
Not all candidates were convinced. SDP’s Adewole Adebayo said past accords had been violated without consequences and questioned whether institutions would enforce the agreement
He argued that credible elections require independent institutions, security agencies, and INEC to do their jobs transparently, and referenced fatalities in the Osun election as evidence that more must be done.
Despite the skepticism, the NPC said a second phase of the initiative will focus on post-election conduct and acceptance of results.
Established in 2014 ahead of the 2015 elections, the National Peace Committee comprises elder statesmen who mediate during critical periods. The committee acknowledged support from the European Union and Switzerland.
As campaigns begin nationwide, the organisers’ message was clear: “Today’s not about party colours. It’s about the Nigerian colour. That is the green and the white of Nigeria