INEC Chairman Calls for Peaceful Campaigns as 2027 Election Preparations Begin
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has called on political parties and candidates preparing for the 2027 general elections to uphold the National Peace Accord and ensure their campaigns do not threaten Nigeria’s democratic process.
Amupitan appealed on Tuesday in Abuja during the signing of the First National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the success and credibility of the polls would depend not only on INEC’s ability to conduct the elections but also on the conduct of political parties, candidates, supporters and other political stakeholders.
According to him, public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 elections are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. The Presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will be held on February 6, 2027.
The INEC chairman described the peace accord as an important step towards ensuring a peaceful electoral season, urging politicians to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes and ideas rather than personal attacks and divisive rhetoric.
He warned political actors against character assassination, identity-based mobilisation and inflammatory statements capable of creating tension among Nigerians.
Amupitan stressed that signing the agreement would not be enough unless political leaders ensured that their supporters and campaign structures also respected its provisions.
He called on party leaders and presidential candidates to extend the commitments of the accord to their state and local government structures, ward-level campaign teams and grassroots supporters.
The INEC chairman also raised concerns over the use of private armed groups, incitement and digital disinformation, warning that such activities could undermine the electoral process even before voting day.
He assured Nigerians that INEC would continue to introduce measures aimed at strengthening transparency in the 2027 elections, particularly in the management and declaration of results.
Amupitan said the Commission remained committed to ensuring that the votes cast by Nigerians are properly reflected in the final results.
Meanwhile, the National Peace Committee said it had facilitated 30 peace accords since 2015.
Speaking on behalf of the committee’s chairman, former Head of State General Abdulsalami A. Abubakar, GCFR, General Martin Luther Agwai, CFR, said five national peace accords had been signed ahead of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections.
He added that 25 other accords were facilitated at the state level, particularly in states that conducted off-cycle elections.
Agwai disclosed that the committee had also established independent peace structures in 23 states to strengthen its efforts towards peaceful elections.
He said the issue-based campaign component of the accord, introduced in 2019, was designed to encourage candidates to sell their policies and programmes rather than rely on personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.
The committee urged political parties to respect opposing views, mobilise supporters peacefully, protect voters and recognise the authority of electoral institutions.
It also warned against hate speech, misinformation, incitement and other forms of communication that could trigger violence or intimidate voters.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, DIG Umar Shehu Nadada assured stakeholders that the Nigeria Police Force would remain professional and impartial throughout the electoral process.
He said the police would collaborate with INEC, the military, intelligence agencies and other security institutions to provide adequate security for campaigns, rallies and the elections.
Nadada, however, maintained that security agencies alone could not guarantee peaceful elections, urging political parties and candidates to take responsibility for the behaviour of their supporters.
He particularly appealed to political leaders to stop recruiting young Nigerians for political violence and instead engage them as partners in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
The signing of the First National Peace Accord signals the beginning of a critical phase in Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, with political campaigns expected to commence nationwide on August 19, 2026.
