President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria Democratic Congres (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi and other political contenders have signed the first National Peace Accord on issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The candidates pledged to reject violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other conduct capable of undermining the electoral process as public campaigns officially begin today, Wednesday, August 19.
The accord was signed in Abuja on Tuesday at a ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre. The event was attended by the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan; political party leaders; presidential and National Assembly candidates; security officials and members of the diplomatic community.
Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, while Obi, Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore were among those who personally signed the agreement.
The African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the Allied Peoples’ Movement candidate, were absent.
The Chairman of the National Peace Committee, former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was represented by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Agwai.
Speaking through Akume, Tinubu urged political parties and candidates to place national interest above personal ambitions and avoid turning the contest for power into a do-or-die affair.
“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” the President said.
He also warned against the use of ethnic and religious sentiments to mobilise voters, urging candidates to focus on the economy, security, unemployment, poverty, infrastructure and other issues affecting Nigerians.
The INEC chairman described the accord as a commitment by political actors to establish ethical boundaries for the campaign season, warning that political contests must not degenerate into conflict.
“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,” Amupitan said.
He disclosed that INEC was preparing to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections, while drawing lessons from recent off-cycle polls.
Amupitan also warned against disinformation, premature victory claims and the misuse of artificial intelligence and social media to manipulate voters, stressing that INEC would provide a level playing field for all candidates.
Obi, however, said political leaders should not require a peace accord to behave 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.
The former Anambra State governor said his participation reflected his desire to change the electoral system from within, while calling for elections in which citizens’ votes would count.
He urged candidates to conduct themselves in a manner befitting the offices they seek and make their campaigns centred on the challenges facing Nigerians.
Sowore, while signing the accord, questioned its effectiveness, describing previous peace agreements as largely ceremonial and calling instead for an enforceable “justice accord” with sanctions for violations.
“I don’t have faith in it. I’m bringing faith to the system. Those are two different things,” he said.
He also raised concerns over violence during the recent Osun governorship election and criticised aspects of INEC’s handling of result uploads, arguing that electoral rules must be backed by effective enforcement.
The police, represented by Deputy Inspector-General Umar Shehu, pledged neutrality and assured voters and candidates of security throughout 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 Inter-Party Advisory Council also urged candidates, parties and campaign organisations to respect the accord, shun fake news and personal attacks, and promote tolerance and constructive political debate.
The National Peace Committee said the accord was designed to move political campaigns away from character assassination and inflammatory rhetoric towards manifestos, policies and programmes.
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.
