By Blessing Fali
The National Peace Accord signed by political actors ahead of the 2027 general elections has been welcomed as an important commitment to peaceful, credible and fair elections.
However, former lawmaker and political commentator, Dakuku Peterside, has warned that signing a peace agreement alone cannot guarantee credible elections.
In an article published on Monday, Peterside said the greatest threat to the 2027 elections may not necessarily be election day violence, but the gradual tilting of the political environment before voters get to the polling units.
He raised concerns over possible unequal access to public facilities, campaign permits, state-owned media and security protection, warning that such practices could give some political parties an advantage over others.
Peterside also stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission to maintain visible independence in its funding, operations, technology and decision-making.
He said unresolved concerns surrounding electronic transmission of results, collation and election petitions could further weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
The former lawmaker noted that technologies such as BVAS and IReV could improve transparency, but warned that technology alone could not guarantee credible elections.
He also identified artificial intelligence, deepfakes, fabricated audio and coordinated online disinformation as emerging threats that could confuse voters and deepen political tensions.
Peterside called for neutrality from security agencies, saying selective enforcement during campaigns could discourage citizens, journalists, volunteers and supporters from participating freely in the electoral process.
He further warned against the misuse of public resources by incumbents for campaign purposes, stressing that government programmes, official events and public infrastructure should not be turned into campaign tools.
On political rhetoric, Peterside urged political parties and their supporters to avoid hate speech and inflammatory statements, particularly because political divisions in Nigeria can intersect with ethnic, religious and regional identities.
He said the Peace Accord would only have real meaning if its principles were implemented across political parties, states, local governments and communities.
According to him, the real test for Nigeria in 2027 is not simply whether politicians maintain peace, but whether institutions ensure that all contestants have a fair and level playing field.
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