President Bola Tinubu has urged political parties and candidates contesting the 2027 general elections to focus their campaigns on competing ideas and governing visions rather than ethnic, religious or primordial sentiments.
Tinubu made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the signing ceremony of the Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections, convened by the National Peace Committee (NPC).
The President commended members of the committee, particularly former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; the Sultan of Sokoto; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for sustaining efforts to promote peaceful and issue-based political campaigns since 2014.
He said Nigeria had made significant progress in its electoral process since the return to democratic rule in 1999, particularly through improvements in election management and the deployment of technology by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Tinubu, the introduction of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has significantly reduced electoral malpractice, including ballot stuffing, manipulation and snatching of ballot boxes.
“These improvements have restored power to the voters, who are now sure that their vote will count. Politicians are now more accountable to the people because votes count,” he said.
The President cited the off-cycle governorship elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states between October 2025 and August 15, 2026, saying the contests demonstrated Nigeria’s growing capacity to conduct credible elections.
He noted that different political parties emerged victorious in the three elections, while local and international observers described the polls as free, credible and transparent.
Tinubu further argued that greater confidence in the electoral process could reduce post-election disputes and litigation, stressing that transparency in elections remained critical to strengthening democracy.
He described the peace accord as a solemn commitment by political leaders to place the national interest above personal and partisan ambitions.
The President called on Nigerians, civil society organisations, the media and Nigeria’s international partners to contribute to building a stronger and more vibrant democratic culture.
According to him, democracy goes beyond periodic elections and the emergence of political office holders.
“Democracy is about how citizens participate in the affairs of their nation, build trust in public institutions, engage civically, and work together for good governance and a more just and equitable society,” he said.
Tinubu acknowledged that political campaigns would naturally involve disagreements and competition among parties seeking to win elections, but warned against allowing political differences to damage national cohesion.
He said candidates could exchange political jabs and promote competing visions for governing the country, provided they remained within the bounds of civility and national unity.
“It is natural during campaigns to disagree as opponents and advocate competing governing visions for our country. We may exchange occasional political jabs. But as members of the same household, the same national family, we must never resort to divisive and primordial sentiments of ethnicity or religion as tools for seeking power,” he said.
The President urged political actors to campaign on “superior ideas,” debate national issues and present policies capable of expanding opportunities for Nigerians and accelerating the country’s development.
“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people and accelerate Nigeria’s journey from a developing nation to a first-world country,” Tinubu said.
He also pledged the commitment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the principles contained in the peace accord.
Tinubu said the ruling party rejected violence, hate speech, misinformation and disinformation, including content generated or amplified through artificial intelligence, as well as incitement on social media.
He called on other political parties and political actors to make similar commitments as the country moves towards the 2027 elections.
The President stressed that elections should not be treated as a “do-or-die affair,” noting that political opponents remained partners in the broader project of nation-building.
“Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner,” he said.
The peace accord signing marks an early commitment by political actors to peaceful, transparent and issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Tinubu urging all stakeholders to prioritise political stability, social harmony, economic progress and national prosperity.