President Bola Tinubu, Peter Obi and other presidential candidates on Tuesday signed a national peace accord ahead of the 2027 general elections, pledging to conduct issue-based campaigns and reject violence, hate speech, misinformation and personal attacks.
The peace accord was signed in Abuja at a ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, barely a day before the statutory commencement of campaigns for the elections.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Joash Amupitan; political party leaders; presidential and National Assembly candidates; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and members of the diplomatic community.
Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, while Obi signed on behalf of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Also present were the Social Democratic Party presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, African Action Congress candidate, Omoyele Sowore, APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, and other political leaders.
RELATED NEWS:
- ADC Worked with Accord to Defeat APC in Osun — Abdullahi
- Osun Governorship Candidates Sign Peace Accord Ahead of August 15 Poll
- ADC Worked with Accord to Defeat APC in Osun — Abdullahi
- Osun 2026: How Vote-Buying Could Shape the Governorship Election
However, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is the Allied Peoples’ Movement candidate, were absent.
Tinubu Urges Issue-based Campaign
Speaking through Akume, Tinubu urged political parties and candidates to place national interest above personal and partisan ambitions.
He warned against turning the struggle for political power into a do-or-die affair and urged politicians not to exploit ethnic or religious sentiments during the campaign.
“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” Tinubu said.
He said the APC remained committed to rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation, incitement and digital manipulation.
Tinubu also called on political actors to focus their campaigns on the challenges confronting Nigerians and offer practical solutions.
Campaigns are not Warsaw, says INEC
Amupitan described the accord as an opportunity for political actors to establish the ethical boundaries of the 2027 contest before campaigns officially begin.
He said Wednesday, August 19, marked the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the elections.
“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan warned against hate speech, toxic political rhetoric, coordinated misinformation and premature declarations of victory.
He said the commission was preparing to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman assured political parties that the commission had no preferred candidate and would provide a level playing field for all contestants.
“We provide the pitch and the refereeing, but the quality of the game depends on the players,” he said.
Obi Questions Need for Peace Accord
Obi said political actors should not need a peace accord before conducting themselves responsibly.
“We don’t even need to sign this. We’re seeking an office where we should be exemplary. You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person,” he said.
He said the conduct of candidates should reflect the offices they were seeking and urged politicians to campaign on issues affecting Nigerians.
Obi also called for accountability over deaths recorded during the recent Osun governorship election.
He said his major concern ahead of the 2027 election was the integrity of the vote.
“I don’t have any fear, except to say that, please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s votes will count?” he asked.
On sanctions for candidates who breach the accord, Obi said Nigerians should punish them at the ballot box.
“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.
Sowore Dismisses Accord
Sowore described the peace accord as a ritual with little practical value, arguing that previous agreements had failed to prevent electoral violence.
“I don’t have faith in it. I’m bringing faith to the system. Those are two different things,” he said.
He alleged that about 50 people died in connection with the recent Osun governorship election and questioned why the poll was described as peaceful.
Sowore also criticised INEC over the uploading of results from the Osun election, arguing that all polling unit results should be uploaded before the declaration of results.
He called for a “justice accord” with enforceable sanctions against politicians who violate peace agreements.
Police Pledge Neutrality
The police, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Umar Shehu, pledged to provide security for voters, candidates and other participants during the electoral process.
“The Nigeria Police is not interested in who wins or loses but is interested and committed to a peaceful election where Nigerians of eligible age will exercise their franchise without fear,” Shehu said.
The police urged political parties and their supporters to cooperate with security agencies and avoid actions capable of triggering violence.
The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, also urged political parties, candidates and campaign organisations to respect the terms of the accord and avoid fake news, insults and personal attacks.
The National Peace Committee said it had facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015, including five national-level agreements and 25 subnational accords.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.