2027: Tinubu, Obi, Parties Sign Peace Pact As Presidential Campaigns Begin

By MELVIN KOFFA

Political Parties Commit to Peace

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi, Action Alliance candidate Aare Adekunle Rufai Omo-Aje and representatives of several political parties have signed a national peace accord ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The agreement commits the political actors to peaceful, issue-based campaigns and seeks to prevent electoral competition from degenerating into violence.

The National Peace Committee, chaired by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, organised the signing in Abuja in partnership with The Kukah Centre.

The ceremony took place on Tuesday 18 August 2026, a day before the official commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

President Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda signed on behalf of the ruling party.

Other signatories included representatives of the SDP, Labour Party, ADC, Democratic Leadership Alliance, National Democratic Party, National Rescue Movement, Youth Party, Young Progressives Party and Zenith Labour Party.

The ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was absent from the ceremony.

Tinubu’s Camp Calls for Issue-Based Politics

Representing the president, Akume described the accord as an opportunity for political parties to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful and transparent elections.

He commended the National Peace Committee and its leadership, including General Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and Bishop Matthew Kukah, for sustaining the peace initiative since 2014.

Akume also pointed to developments in Nigeria’s electoral system, particularly the use of Permanent Voter Cards and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.

He cited the governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun between October 2025 and August 2026 as evidence that political parties could win elections through the ballot.

The government, he said, expected parties to compete through ideas and policies rather than intimidation.

“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” he said.

Akume also said the APC rejected violence, hate speech, misinformation, including AI-generated content, and incitement on social media.

“Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner,” he declared.

Obi Questions the Need for Political Peace Pacts

Obi approached the accord from a different perspective.

The NDC candidate questioned why politicians seeking public office should need a formal agreement before committing themselves to peaceful conduct.

He argued that political candidates should demonstrate integrity without being compelled to sign agreements.

According to him, voters themselves should punish politicians who violate democratic standards by refusing to vote for them.

“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” Obi said when asked what sanctions should apply to violators.

He also challenged political leaders to earn the respect attached to public office.

“You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person,” he said.

Obi further referred to violence recorded during the Osun governorship election and warned against a political culture in which citizens lose their lives because of elections.

“We should comfort their families, and we should remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that in our democracy, nobody needs to die for an election,” he said.

Call for an Impartial Electoral Process

Omo-Aje described the agreement as a responsibility shared by politicians and state institutions.

He urged political parties to reject thuggery, hate speech and ethnic or religious incitement.

The Action Alliance candidate also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to maintain neutrality throughout the electoral process.

“INEC must resist pressure and ensure that the votes of Nigerians count,” he said.

He urged the commission to provide equal opportunities for large and small political parties.

Security agencies, he added, must protect voters without becoming instruments of political intimidation.

INEC Warns Against Escalating Political Rhetoric

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan described the peace accord as timely, given the approaching campaign season.

He expressed concern about increasing hate speech, misinformation, political polarisation and personal attacks.

Amupitan urged candidates to recognise that elections should produce competition rather than conflict.

“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate,” he said.

He encouraged parties to focus their campaigns on issues that directly affect Nigerians, including economic growth, insecurity, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion.

The Test Begins With the Campaigns

The National Peace Committee said the agreement binds its signatories and forms part of efforts to prevent election-related violence.

Its significance, however, will ultimately depend on compliance.

With campaigns for the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections beginning across the country, political parties now face the challenge of translating their commitments into conduct.

The coming campaign season will therefore test whether Nigeria’s political class can compete aggressively without turning political differences into violence.

The accord has created a common commitment.

The harder task is keeping it.