Presidential candidates for Nigeria's 2027 general elections, including Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) candidate, signed the National Peace Accord in Abuja on August 18. The ceremony, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, was organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC) and marked the first phase of the exercise, with a second phase planned after the elections.
Signing Ceremony Draws Key Political Figures
According to Channels TV, the event attracted not only presidential candidates but also representatives of governorship and National Assembly contestants, political party chairmen, INEC chairman Joash Amupitan, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. The NPC described the ceremony as a commitment to ensuring credible and peaceful elections in 2027.
Addressing the gathering, Obi, 65, expressed confidence in the electoral process but appealed for integrity. "I don't have any fear [going into next year's election] except to say that, please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people's votes will count?" he said. When asked about consequences for violators of the accord, the former Anambra State governor was firm: "Well, the punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them." He urged contestants to maintain proper conduct as the January and February polls approach, adding, "You can't answer 'His Excellency' without being an excellent person. So, the process that will make you answer 'His Excellency' should be excellent, and the only way to do it is to conduct yourself properly."
Tinubu and INEC Boss Address the Gathering
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Akume, commended the NPC leadership, which includes former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for sustaining the initiative since 2014. Tinubu pointed to off-cycle elections in Anambra, Osun, and Ekiti as evidence of improved electoral transparency under the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). "Different parties won them, and local and foreign observers described them as free, credible, and transparent. When the process and outcome are manifestly transparent, we see less post-election litigation in our courts," he said. He also rejected hate speech, electoral violence, and social media incitement, stating, "Let us remember that elections are not a do-or-die affair. We are partners in the project of nation-building. Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner."
INEC chairman Amupitan assured Nigerians of the commission's neutrality. "INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election. The commission does not have a candidate, nor does it favour any political platform," he said. He urged candidates to campaign on substance, telling them, "Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war." Amupitan added that INEC is scaling up logistics to manage 1.4 million ad hoc workers across over 176,000 polling units nationwide.
Interfaith Peace Accord Signed Earlier
Legit.ng earlier reported that more than 50 Muslim and Christian leaders signed an interfaith peace accord in Abuja on August 12, formally launching a new body aimed at promoting religious harmony across Nigeria. The signing ceremony was organized by the Muslim World League, a Saudi Arabia-based Islamic non-governmental organization, and brought together clerics, government officials, and traditional leaders from across the country.
The National Peace Accord signing represents a concerted effort by political stakeholders to ensure peaceful elections in 2027. With INEC's preparations involving 1.4 million ad hoc staff and over 176,000 polling units, the commission is gearing up for a massive electoral exercise, while candidates have pledged to uphold peace and credibility in the process.
