President Bola Tinubu has pledged his commitment, and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to peaceful, transparent, and issue-based campaigns.
Mr Tinubu also warned political stakeholders against violence, hate speech, misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content during the 2027 electioneering.
The President spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while signing the national peace accord alongside political parties and candidates ahead of the presidential election.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Mr Tinubu urged all political actors to embrace the accord.
He stressed that elections should not become a “do-or-die affair”, urging stakeholders to prioritise Nigeria’s interests above personal ambitions.
“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,” he said.
Mr Tinubu urged political actors to reject ethnic and religious sentiments, saying campaigns should focus on competing ideas, policies and development programmes.
“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people,” he said.
He said such an approach would accelerate Nigeria’s journey from a developing nation toward becoming a first-world country.
The president commended the National Peace Committee (NPC) for its sustained efforts toward peaceful elections since 2014.
He specifically recognised former head of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
Mr Tinubu said Nigeria’s electoral process had recorded significant improvements since the return to democratic governance in 1999.
He attributed some progress to technological innovations introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The president said permanent voter cards and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System had helped curb electoral manipulation and malpractice.
He listed ballot stuffing and snatching at polling units among practices the innovations helped reduce.
“These improvements have restored power to the voters, who are now sure that their vote will count,” Mr Tinubu said.
He added that politicians were now more accountable because voters had greater confidence that their votes would count.
Mr Tinubu noted that Nigeria conducted three off-cycle elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun between October 2025 and August 2026.
According to him, different political parties emerged victorious in the three elections, demonstrating the competitiveness of Nigeria’s electoral process.
He said local and international observers described the elections as free, credible and transparent.
He added that transparent electoral processes could help reduce post-election litigation and strengthen confidence in democratic institutions.
He described the peace accord’s signing as a solemn commitment by political leaders to place national interest above partisan and personal ambitions.
“I call on all Nigerians, civil society organisations, our foreign partners, and the media to join us,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to deepen and build a stronger, more vibrant democratic society through collective commitment to peaceful political participation.
According to him, democracy goes beyond periodic elections and requires citizens to participate actively in national affairs and promote good governance.
He also urged Nigerians to build trust in public institutions while encouraging political actors to preserve the country’s social cohesion.
The president warned against using social media to spread incitement, misinformation, hate speech or manipulated artificial intelligence-generated materials.
He urged political parties and candidates to ensure their campaigns strengthened rather than undermined Nigeria’s social fabric.
Mr Tinubu said the ultimate objective of the electoral process should remain the emergence of a peaceful, united and prosperous Nigeria.
(NAN)
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