2027: Tinubu, Obi, Atiku, Others Sign Peace Accord, Reject Violence

Presidential candidates and political party leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections have signed a National Peace Accord, and they pledged to run issue-based campaigns while rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation, and ethnic or religious incitement. The accord was signed on Tuesday in Abuja under the National Peace Committee and The Kukah Centre, and it came just ahead of the commencement of the 2027 election campaign season on Wednesday. Moreover, the organisers said the agreement is backed by the Constitution, Electoral Act, INEC guidelines, and other relevant laws, with the aim of preventing political competition from escalating into violence, intimidation, and misinformation.

Tinubu, Atiku absent from signing

The absence of some major presidential candidates was notable; however, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was also absent. Meanwhile, other presidential candidates who attended included Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo, and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore, while INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, also attended the ceremony.

Obi asks voters to punish violators

Peter Obi urged Nigerians to reject candidates who violate the peace accord and, in addition, said voters should punish such politicians by voting against them at the polls. According to him, politicians seeking public office should demonstrate the character expected of leaders, and he also called for a credible 2027 election where every vote would count. Furthermore, the former Anambra State governor stressed that no Nigerian should lose his or her life because of an election, even as he questioned the need for political actors to sign peace agreements, arguing that candidates should behave responsibly without being compelled to do so.

Peace Committee warns politicians

The Project Manager of the National Peace Committee at The Kukah Centre, Asabe Ndaye, described the accord as a public commitment and, importantly, said it is backed by existing laws rather than being merely ceremonial. She warned that political parties, candidates, campaign officials, and supporters must avoid spreading or endorsing misinformation intended to cause violence, noting that existing laws already provide sanctions for such conduct. In addition, the committee said it has facilitated 31 peace accords since its establishment, and Ndaye explained that the latest agreement is intended to establish clear boundaries for political competition ahead of the 2027 elections while urging politicians to ensure disagreements do not escalate into violence.

43% of 2023 peace accord violations involved campaigns

Ndaye disclosed that monitoring of the 2023 election cycle revealed significant violations of the previous peace accord; notably, commitment to issue-based campaigns accounted for 43 per cent of recorded violations, while provisions against insults and violence accounted for 13.5 per cent. In the same vein, fake news and disinformation accounted for nine per cent of breaches, and party spokespersons were linked to 58 per cent of violations involving issue-based campaigns. She further identified Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Lagos, Rivers, and Benue among affected states, warning that political language can become a serious risk factor in a tense electoral environment.

2,510 security incidents recorded

The Election Security Information Hub established by the committee recorded 2,510 security incidents between June 2025 and August 2026, with Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, and Plateau among the most affected states. These incidents included banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and other forms of insecurity; additionally, the hub recorded 381 electoral offences during the period. Vote-buying, political violence, thuggery, intimidation, and misinformation were among the leading threats, while party conflicts, electoral malpractice, and voter suppression also featured prominently. Consequently, Ndaye urged political parties to address tensions from primaries, defections, litigation, and nomination disputes early, and she also called for respectful, issue-based debates.

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INEC urges issue-based campaigns

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the accord was signed at a critical point in the electoral calendar, noting that campaigns are scheduled to begin on August 19. In addition, he stated that the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027. He warned against hate speech, misinformation, and personality-driven campaigns, urging candidates to focus on national challenges such as the economy, insecurity, healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Moreover, he described elections as “competitive job interviews” before the electorate and called for a marketplace of ideas, while also warning against social media misuse and noting that INEC is preparing to deploy about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units.

Police warn against election violence

Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, represented by Deputy Inspector-General Umar Shehu, warned political actors against conduct that could threaten electoral security, stressing that election security is built throughout the electoral cycle rather than only on election day. He urged parties to campaign on policies instead of ethnic mobilisation, religious division, and intimidation, and he further warned against the use of armed groups, criminal elements, or illegal firearms during political activities. Additionally, he called on parties to take responsibility for their supporters and encouraged greater inclusion of women, youths, and persons with disabilities in political participation.

Tinubu, APC pledge support for accord

Representing President Tinubu, SGF George Akume said the President and the APC are committed to the principles of the peace agreement. He urged political parties to avoid ethnic and religious sentiments and, instead, focus on policies that would improve Nigerians’ lives. Furthermore, he stated that the APC rejects violence, hate speech, misinformation, and social media incitement, reinforcing the party’s support for peaceful competition.

Adebayo questions effectiveness of accord

The SDP presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, questioned the effectiveness of the peace agreement, arguing that previous accords had been violated without sufficient consequences. He maintained that a credible electoral environment requires government institutions, security agencies, and INEC to perform their constitutional duties independently. However, despite the criticism, the National Peace Committee insisted that the accord provides a framework for peaceful political competition and, in addition, announced that a second phase will follow the 2027 elections, focusing on acceptance of results and democratic stability. Ultimately, the committee, established in 2014 ahead of the 2015 elections, said its mandate includes mediation, alternative dispute resolution, and support for peaceful elections, with the overarching goal of protecting Nigeria’s democratic process and preventing political competition from degenerating into violence.