President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful and transparent elections ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging political parties and Nigerians to place national interest above personal and partisan ambitions.
Tinubu made the declaration on Wednesday through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who represented him at the signing of a peace accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the President, the event, convened by the National Peace Committee (NPC), was significant as it preceded the commencement of political campaigns for the January and February 2027 elections.
He commended members of the National Peace Committee, particularly former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for their continued efforts to promote peaceful elections.
Tinubu said the NPC had since 2014 played an important role in promoting peace accords that commit political parties and candidates to non violent and issue based campaigns during national and off cycle elections.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, the President acknowledged that election periods had often generated anxiety due to intense political competition but noted that the country had continued to make progress in electoral transparency and management.
He credited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with improvements in election administration, particularly through the use of technology and innovations such as the Permanent Voter Card and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Tinubu said the improvements had strengthened voters’ confidence that their votes would count and had increased accountability among political actors.
The President also cited the recent off cycle elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States between October 2025 and August 15, 2026, noting that different political parties emerged victorious and that local and international observers described the elections as free, credible and transparent.
He said transparent electoral processes would help reduce post election disputes and litigation while strengthening confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Tinubu urged political leaders to uphold the peace accord and conduct their campaigns in ways that would strengthen the country’s unity rather than deepen divisions.
He called on political parties to campaign based on ideas, policies and competing visions for the country, while rejecting the use of ethnic and religious sentiments as political tools.
The President further urged Nigerians, civil society organisations, international partners and the media to contribute to strengthening democracy, civic participation and public trust in government institutions.
He declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was committed to the principles of the peace accord and rejected violence, hate speech, misinformation, including misinformation generated through artificial intelligence, and incitement, particularly on social media.
Tinubu encouraged other political parties and political actors to adopt the same commitment, stressing that elections should not be treated as a do or die affair.
“Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner,” the President said.
He added that political actors remained partners in the task of nation building and should prioritise political stability, social harmony, economic progress and national prosperity.
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