Nigeria’s official campaign season for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections begins Wednesday, August 19, with political parties and candidates pledging to pursue peaceful, issue-based campaigns and reject violence, hate speech, misinformation and personal attacks.
The commencement follows the signing of the first National Peace Accord by presidential and National Assembly candidates and political party leaders in Abuja on Tuesday.
The accord, organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, commits political actors to responsible conduct throughout the electoral process and comes amid concerns over political violence, ethnic and religious profiling, misinformation and declining public confidence in elections.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan; political party leaders and candidates; Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu; members of the diplomatic community and other stakeholders.
Those who signed included President Bola Tinubu, represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi; Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo; and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore.
The event also drew the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and other party leaders, lawmakers and candidates.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, and Oyo State Gov. Seyi Makinde, who is contesting under the Allied Peoples’ Movement, were among the notable political figures absent from the ceremony.
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Jan. 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold Feb. 6.
President Tinubu urged political parties and candidates to put national interest above personal and partisan ambitions, warning against turning political competition into a do-or-die affair.
He also cautioned politicians against using ethnic and religious sentiments to mobilise voters, saying the campaign should focus on competing ideas, policies and programmes.
“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” Tinubu said.
He said the All Progressives Congress remained committed to rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation, incitement and digital manipulation.
Amupitan said the accord was more than a ceremonial exercise, describing it as an opportunity for political actors to establish the ethical boundaries of the 2027 contest before campaigns begin.
“Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19, 2026, marks the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 general election,” he said.
The INEC chairman urged candidates to focus their campaigns on issues including the economy, security, infrastructure, health care, education and social inclusion.
He described elections as a competition for public office rather than warfare.
“Electoral contests in a constitutional democracy are not total wars; they are competitive job interviews before the electorate. Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions,” Amupitan said.
He also warned against premature victory claims and the circulation of unverified information, particularly through social media and artificial intelligence-generated content.
Amupitan said INEC was preparing to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections.
He maintained that the commission had no preferred candidate and would provide a level playing field for all contestants.
Obi said political actors seeking public office should not need a peace accord to behave responsibly.
“We don’t even need to sign this. We’re seeking an office where we should be exemplary. You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person,” he said.
He urged candidates to ensure their conduct reflected the offices they were seeking and called for campaigns centred on the problems confronting Nigerians.
Asked what punishment should be imposed on candidates or parties that violate the accord, Obi said the electorate should decide at the polls.
“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.
The NDC candidate also expressed concern over deaths recorded during the recent Osun governorship election, urging political actors to ensure that no Nigerian dies because of an election.
He said his main concern ahead of 2027 was whether Nigerians would be able to freely cast votes that would count.
Sowore questioned the effectiveness of the peace accord, arguing that previous agreements had failed to prevent electoral violence.
He called for a “justice accord” with enforceable consequences for political actors who breach their commitments.
Sowore also raised concerns over the recent Osun governorship election, alleging that about 50 people died in connection with the poll.
He criticised what he described as delays in the uploading of Osun election results by INEC and argued that electoral results should be uploaded promptly before final declarations.
The police, represented at the event by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Umar Shehu, pledged to remain neutral and provide security for voters, candidates and other participants.
“The Nigeria Police is not interested in who wins or loses but is interested and committed to a peaceful election where Nigerians of eligible age will exercise their franchise without fear,” Shehu said.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council also urged parties, candidates and campaign teams to respect the accord, avoid fake news, personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric, and promote tolerance and constructive political debate.
With campaigns now officially underway, political parties are expected to intensify nationwide rallies, mobilisation and policy messaging as Nigeria moves toward the Jan. 16, 2027, presidential and National Assembly elections.
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