President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged the commitment of his administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to a peaceful and transparent 2027 general election, urging political parties to campaign on ideas rather than exploit ethnic and religious divisions.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the signing of a peace accord ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
The ceremony, convened by the National Peace Committee (NPC), came ahead of the commencement of political campaigns for the January and February 2027 general elections.
The President commended members of the committee, particularly former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for their efforts to promote peaceful elections since 2014.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 had been accompanied by anxiety during election periods because of intense competition for political power, but argued that the country had made significant progress in election management.
He attributed part of the progress to technological improvements introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly the Permanent Voter’s Card and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
According to him, the reforms had strengthened voters’ confidence that their votes would count while making politicians more accountable to the electorate.
Tinubu cited the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun off-cycle elections conducted between October 2025 and August 15, 2026, saying different political parties won the polls and that local and international observers described the elections as free, credible and transparent.
He argued that transparent electoral processes could also reduce post-election disputes and litigation.
The President said the peace accord should serve as a commitment by political leaders to place Nigeria’s national interest above personal and partisan ambitions.
He urged political parties, civil society organisations, the media, foreign partners and citizens to contribute to strengthening the country’s democratic institutions.
Tinubu stressed that democracy should go beyond periodic elections, saying citizens must participate actively in national affairs, build trust in public institutions and promote good governance.
As political campaigns approach, he urged candidates and parties to avoid ethnic and religious sentiments, hate speech, violence, misinformation and incitement, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence-generated content.
“It is natural during campaigns to disagree as opponents and advocate competing governing visions for our country,” he said, while warning that political disagreements should not undermine national unity.
The President called for campaigns based on competing policies and ideas capable of expanding opportunities and accelerating Nigeria’s development.
He specifically pledged the APC’s commitment to the principles contained in the peace accord, saying the party rejected violence, hate speech, misinformation and all forms of incitement.
Tinubu also appealed to other political parties and political actors to make similar commitments.
“Let us remember that elections are not a do-or-die affair. We are partners in the project of nation-building. Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner,” he said.
