The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has urged political parties and candidates participating in the 2027 General Election to honour the commitments contained in the National Peace Accord, warning that the credibility of the polls depends not only on the electoral umpire but also on the conduct of political actors.
Amupitan gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja at the signing of the First National Peace Accord by political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
He noted that Wednesday, August 19, 2026, marks the commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the elections, with the Presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Describing the signing of the accord as a critical milestone in the nation’s electoral calendar, the INEC Chairman said political leaders must establish clear ethical boundaries for the electoral contest before campaigns fully take off.
“Before the first campaign flag is unfurled, before the first rally is staged, and before political rhetoric fills our public space, it is necessary that those who seek to lead this nation first gather to establish the ethical boundaries of their contest,” he said.
Amupitan said the accord commits political parties and candidates to issue-based campaigns, urging them to reject character assassination, identity manipulation and inflammatory rhetoric.
He stressed that Nigeria’s challenges and opportunities were too important to be drowned in bitterness and divisive political rhetoric.
According to him, the effectiveness of the accord would depend on the willingness of political leaders to ensure that its provisions were respected by their supporters and campaign structures.
“It is not the signatures written on this Accord today that preserve democracy; it is the character of the leaders who hold the pen,” Amupitan stated.
He therefore called on presidential candidates and party leaders to extend the obligations of the accord to their state structures, local government executives, ward canvassers and grassroots supporters.
The INEC Chairman also cautioned political actors against incitement, the use of private armed squads and digital disinformation, warning that such activities could undermine the electoral process even before Election Day.
Amupitan assured Nigerians that INEC remained committed to improving the transparency and credibility of the 2027 elections, including through additional measures in the result-management process.
He said the Commission would continue to work towards ensuring that the choice of Nigerian voters was accurately reflected in the final electoral outcome.
Earlier, the Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), former Head of State, General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, GCFR, represented by General Martin Luther Agwai, CFR, said the committee had facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015.
Agwai disclosed that five of the accords were signed at the national level ahead of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections, while 25 were facilitated at the sub-national level, including states that conducted off-cycle elections.
He added that the committee had established independent state-based peace structures in 23 states to complement its national peace-building efforts.
Agwai explained that the issue-based campaign component of the accord was introduced in 2019 to encourage political parties and candidates to focus on ideas, policies and programmes rather than sentiments and personal attacks.
He urged political actors to compete fairly, engage in respectful debate, mobilise their supporters peacefully, protect voters and respect electoral institutions.
The NPC also warned political actors against hate speech, misinformation, incitement and other narratives capable of triggering intimidation and electoral violence.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, DIG Umar Shehu Nadada assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force would remain professional and impartial throughout the electoral process.
He said the police would collaborate with INEC, the military, intelligence agencies and other security and law-enforcement bodies to create the necessary environment for peaceful campaigns and credible elections.
Nadada, however, stressed that security agencies could not secure the elections alone, urging political parties and candidates to take responsibility for the conduct of their supporters and campaign organisations.
“You cannot publicly preach peace while actively encouraging violence. You cannot call for a credible election whilst simultaneously undermining the institutions responsible for conducting them,” he warned.
He also appealed to political leaders to desist from mobilising young Nigerians for political violence and instead make them instruments of democratic renewal.
The signing of the First National Peace Accord marks a significant step in Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 General Election, with political campaigns formally commencing on August 19, 2026.
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