President Bola Tinubu and other presidential candidates signed the first National Peace Accord on Tuesday to ensure violence-free campaigns for the 2027 elections [1].
The agreement comes as Nigeria enters a critical election cycle where political tensions often lead to instability. By committing to issue-based campaigning, the signatories aim to reduce the risk of electoral violence and promote a stable democratic transition.
The accord was signed on the same day the official 2027 campaign period began [2]. President Bola Tinubu and former Governor Peter Obi were among the primary figures to sign the document [1]. Reports said 16 other presidential candidates also signed the pact [3].
The signatories pledged to shun violence and focus their platforms on policy and issues rather than personal attacks or inflammatory rhetoric [3]. This commitment is intended to set a standard for conduct across all political parties during the run-up to the general elections [1].
However, the unity of the pact is contested. While some reports confirm the president's participation [3], other accounts suggest he was absent from the proceedings. Similarly, reports vary on the participation of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, with some sources saying they stayed away from the signing [4].
Despite these contradictions, the establishment of the National Peace Accord marks a formal attempt to institutionalize peace during the campaign season. The participants said that the stability of the nation outweighs partisan competition during the electoral process [3].
“President Bola Tinubu and other presidential candidates signed the first National Peace Accord on Tuesday.”
The signing of the National Peace Accord represents a strategic effort to mitigate the historical volatility of Nigerian elections. While the inclusion of major figures like Tinubu and Obi provides the agreement with symbolic weight, the reported absence of other key political actors suggests that full consensus across the political spectrum remains elusive. The effectiveness of the pact will depend on whether the candidates adhere to these pledges as the campaign intensifies.
