The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, urged political parties and candidates contesting the 2027 General Election to uphold the commitments contained in the National Peace Accord, warning that the credibility of the elections depends not only on the electoral umpire but also on the conduct of political actors.
Amupitan made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the signing of the First National Peace Accord by political parties and candidates ahead of the 2027 General Election.
According to the INEC Chairman, Wednesday, August 19, 2026, marks the commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election, while the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for February 6, 2027.
He described the signing of the accord as a critical milestone, noting that the country is exactly five months away from the 2027 General Election.
“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,” Amupitan said.
He said the accord represents a commitment to issue-based campaigns and urged political actors to move away from character assassination, identity manipulation and inflammatory rhetoric.
“By signing this Accord, you are committing to an issue-based campaign,” he said, stressing that Nigeria’s challenges and opportunities were too important to be overshadowed by bitterness and divisive politics.
Amupitan warned that the signing of the accord would have little meaning if political leaders failed 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,” he said.
He urged presidential candidates and party leaders to cascade the obligations of the accord to their state supporters, local government executives, ward canvassers and grassroots supporters.
The INEC Chairman further warned against incitement, the deployment of private armed squads and digital disinformation, saying such practices could compromise the electoral process long before Election Day.
He assured Nigerians that INEC was committed to improving the transparency 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 is accurately reflected in the final 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.
According to Agwai, 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 said the committee had also established independent state-based peace structures in 23 states to complement its work at the national level.
Agwai explained that the issue-based campaign component of the accord was established 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, debate opposing views respectfully, mobilise supporters peacefully, protect voters and respect electoral institutions.
The NPC also warned against hate speech, misinformation, incitement and other narratives capable of generating intimidation and violence.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, DIG Umar Shehu Nadada said the Nigeria Police Force would remain professional and impartial throughout the electoral process.
He said the police would work closely with INEC, the military, intelligence agencies and other security and law-enforcement bodies to provide the security environment required for peaceful political activities 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 stop mobilising young Nigerians for political violence, urging them instead to make youths instruments of democratic renewal.
The signing of the First National Peace Accord marks the formal entry into a crucial phase of preparations for the 2027 General Election.
