2027 Election Campaigns Kick Off as Political Leaders Sign Peace Accord in Abuja

Political parties and candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections gathered in Abuja on Tuesday to sign the first National Peace Accord, committing to issue-based campaigns and renouncing violence, hate speech, and misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ceremony, organized by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, took place just one day before the official start of public campaigning on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume, joined other presidential candidates including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress in signing the agreement.

Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan emphasized that the timing was significant, as campaigns officially commence today. He urged political actors to focus on addressing Nigeria’s challenges rather than engaging in personal attacks.

“The electoral contest in a constitutional democracy is not total war; it is a competitive job interview before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” Amupitan stated.

President Tinubu, speaking through his representative, called on political parties to prioritize national interest above personal ambitions and cautioned against exploiting ethnic and religious sentiments for political gain. He stressed that the pursuit of political power must not become a do-or-die affair.

The INEC chairman revealed that the National Peace Committee’s Election Security Information Hub has documented an alarming resurgence of hate speech, toxic polarization, and coordinated misinformation as the nation approaches what is expected to be a highly contested election.

Former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by retired General Martin Agwai, noted that the committee has facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015, including five national-level agreements and 25 subnational ones.

Peter Obi, the former Anambra State governor, stated that politicians should not require a peace accord to conduct themselves responsibly, emphasizing that those seeking high office must demonstrate exemplary conduct.

Omoyele Sowore, however, dismissed the accord as a ritual with limited practical value, pointing to violence during the recent Osun State governorship election where he claimed approximately 50 people died. He called for a “justice accord” with enforceable consequences.

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu, represented by Deputy Inspector-General Umar Shehu, pledged that security agencies would remain neutral and ensure eligible Nigerians can exercise their franchise without intimidation.

According to INEC’s revised timetable, presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The commission is preparing to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide for the elections.