National Peace Committee, INEC, stakeholders outline path for credible elections
Former Head of State and National Peace Committee Chairman, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the peace accord remains a crucial tool for promoting accountability and peaceful conduct among political actors ahead of
- …as IGP urges restraint on false narratives
Former Head of State and National Peace Committee Chairman, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the peace accord remains a crucial tool for promoting accountability and peaceful conduct among political actors ahead of elections.
Speaking through Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, in Abuja on Monday at a stakeholders’ briefing and presentation of annotated Peace Accord documents organized by The Kukah Centre and the European Union in Abuja, Abubakar emphasized that the accord encourages political leaders to publicly commit to peaceful conduct.
The annotated accord, to be endorsed by political parties and their leaders, incorporates clauses from the Electoral Act and specifies penalties for misconduct, violence, undue influence, bribery, and vote trading, ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦50 million or imprisonment if breached.
Abubakar noted the initiative aims to address scepticism about the Peace Committee’s relevance and the commitment of politicians to uphold the accord.
“When politicians sign the Peace Accord, it is not only the responsibility of the Peace Committee to hold them accountable; it is also the responsibility of all Nigerians, including civil society,” he said.
He highlighted ongoing electoral challenges, including political tension, misinformation, and security concerns, reinforcing the need for early engagement and sustained collaboration among stakeholders.
Since 2015, the National Peace Committee has provided a neutral platform for dialogue, mediation, and confidence-building.
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Kukah explained that the committee rejected government office accommodation to maintain independence and public trust, later receiving support from the European Union.
“In every election, someone will win and someone will lose. The Peace Accord is meant to encourage the discipline and political culture needed to accept that reality peacefully,” he said.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan defended the commission’s release of the 2027 election timetable, noting it was issued on February 13 in line with the Electoral Act.
“Anyone can take the Electoral Act and work it out because the timelines are prescribed,” he said, while urging the National Assembly to ensure the new law is properly gazetted to avoid legal uncertainties.
On funding, he explained that Subsection 3 of the amended law reduces the release timeline from one year to six months, appealing to the EFCC to ensure timely disbursement.
“We have done everything possible to keep the election timeline on track,” he said.
Amupitan acknowledged the commission’s focus on technological safeguards to improve result collation, which he identified as a major challenge in Nigerian elections.
“The major problem with elections in Nigeria is not even about voting. The problem is about result collation,” he said.
Steps to clean the voter register and remove duplications and irregularities are underway, he revealed while warning against vote trading, calling it a criminal offence, and urged security agencies to prosecute offenders.
The commission is also considering mock exercises to test technology ahead of major polls, he said.
Despite improvements, he expressed concern over declining voter participation.
While acknowledging improved turnout in the recent FCT council election was 15 per cent, compared to nine per cent in 2022, he said, “This is not encouraging at all… If voters do not participate, it will affect the legitimacy of those elected.”
He stressed collaboration among institutions, civil society, and political actors as essential to strengthening democracy, “We will get it right one day. We will be able to meet the expectations of Nigerians,” he said.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, represented by Commissioner Abayomi Shogunle, warned political actors against spreading misinformation during elections, citing examples from the Anambra and FCT polls.
“Political actors must understand that spreading unverified or misleading information does not benefit anyone… This can create unnecessary tension and misinformation,” he said.
The police reaffirmed their commitment to election security, using predictive analytics tested in recent elections to anticipate risks and guide deployment.
“The Nigerian Police Force, working with other security agencies, remains firmly in control of election security planning,” Shogunle said.
Civil society and political parties raised concerns over the Electoral Act, INEC preparedness, and political participation, while stressing the need to restore trust in the Commission and ensure electoral laws and technology support fair participation.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, identified five major risks, the Electoral Act, INEC preparedness, political party compliance, election security, and election technology.
He described the 2027 election preparation timeline as the “most compressed in recent history” and criticized provisions reducing INEC funding timelines and requiring mandatory digital membership registers.
He warned that weakening opposition participation could result in “choiceless elections,” voter apathy, and opportunities for non-democratic actors.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council Chairman (IPAC), Yusuf Dantale, added that inequities in primaries and local government elections narrow participation, giving incumbents’ parties an advantage and encouraging vote buying.
“Votes count, and that is why people buy votes…where votes don’t count, the process becomes allocation, not election,” he said.
Dr. Y Z Ya'u, Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCCSSR), warned that failing to mandate electronic transmission of results in the amended law could deepen voter apathy and weaken democratic competition.
He noted contradictions in the law, including short timelines for digital membership submission, and cautioned that continued constraints on opposition parties could undermine democratic legitimacy.
The Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Sadiq Umar Abubakar called for frank dialogue among political leaders and engagement with the National Assembly on reforms, criticizing the PDP and APC for failing to implement reforms while in government.
“As citizens and leaders, we have to speak to one another frankly,” he said.
Similarly, the National Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Comrade Oshioks Philip, highlighted vote-buying as a growing threat and proposed diaspora voting to reduce its impact.
“With diaspora voting, vote-buying down here will begin to have less impact on those who perpetrate such evil,” he said.
