by Uchechukwu Okoroafor, Abuja
Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are still ahead, but the conduct of political actors today will help determine whether Nigerians approach those elections with confidence or fear. Against this background, the reported absence of ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar and APM presidential candidate Seyi Makinde from the peace pact signing ceremony in Abuja is deeply disappointing and deserves condemnation.
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An election peace pact should not be treated as another political ceremony where attendance is optional and commitments are merely symbolic. At a time when Nigerians are demanding credible elections, political leaders who aspire to govern the country should demonstrate, by their actions, that they are prepared to submit themselves to rules designed to protect the democratic process.
For Atiku Abubakar and Seyi Makinde to stay away from such an important event sends the wrong message. Whatever their reasons may have been, Nigerians deserve political leaders who understand that the peaceful conduct of elections is bigger than individual ambitions, parties and candidates.
The same concern applies to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The decision to send the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to represent him rather than attending personally raises questions about the importance attached to the peace initiative by the nation’s chief political office-holder.
The President of Nigeria should be among the first political leaders to demonstrate an unequivocal commitment to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections. His physical presence at such an occasion would have sent a powerful message to political parties, candidates, security agencies and Nigerians that the government considers electoral peace a national priority.
This is particularly important because the ruling party controls the federal government and therefore has enormous influence over the political environment in which the 2027 elections will take place. The President must not merely assure Nigerians that the election will be peaceful; his administration must demonstrate that commitment through conduct, neutrality and respect for democratic institutions.
Against this disappointing backdrop, the physical presence of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi at the peace pact signing deserves commendation. His attendance demonstrated that pzj,articipation in an electoral peace initiative can be viewed as a responsibility rather than an inconvenience.
Peter Obi’s presence should remind every presidential candidate that seeking the mandate of Nigerians comes with an obligation to protect the democratic process through which that mandate is obtained.
But this responsibility must not end with presidential candidates.
Every candidate contesting the 2027 elections—from the presidency to the governorships, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly—must commit themselves to the spirit and letter of the peace pact.
Candidates must reject violence, intimidation, hate speech, ethnic incitement, religious provocation, vote buying and the use of political thugs. They must instruct their supporters to respect opposing candidates and accept lawful electoral outcomes while pursuing grievances through established legal channels.
Political parties must equally take responsibility for the conduct of their members and supporters. It is not enough for party leaders to sign documents in Abuja while their supporters engage in violence across the country.
More importantly, the peace pact must have consequences.
A peace agreement without accountability risks becoming another political document that generates headlines but fails to prevent violence. Relevant institutions must therefore ensure that anyone who violates the agreement or commits an electoral offence faces the full consequences of the law, irrespective of political party, status or proximity to power.
Nigeria cannot afford another election in which citizens are killed, intimidated or prevented from freely exercising their constitutional right to vote.
The 2027 election must be a contest of ideas, competence, character and policies—not a contest of violence, intimidation and the deployment of political power to overwhelm citizens.
We therefore urge Atiku Abubakar, Seyi Makinde, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and every other presidential candidate to demonstrate greater commitment to electoral peace from now until the final result of the 2027 elections.
We also commend candidates who have demonstrated their commitment by participating in the peace process and urge them to maintain that commitment throughout the electoral cycle.
Ultimately, Nigerians should not judge candidates only by the promises they make during campaigns. They should also judge them by how they behave when democracy itself is under pressure.
The 2027 peace pact must therefore be more than a signing ceremony. It must become a binding moral and political commitment to the Nigerian people.
Every candidate must sign it, respect it and ensure that their supporters respect it.
And every institution responsible for conducting, securing and adjudicating the elections must ensure that Nigerians can vote without fear and that every legitimate vote counts.
Nigeria deserves nothing less than free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in 2027.
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