By Omeiza Ajayi, ABUJA
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, President Bola Tinubu has urged political parties and candidates to refrain from exploiting ethnic, religious, and other primordial sentiments in their pursuit of political power.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the official signing of the Peace Accord, where he was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the president emphasized that political campaigns must strengthen rather than tear the social fabric of the nation.
Media adviser to the SGF, Yomi Odunuga in a statement said President Tinubu acknowledged that political disagreements and competing governing visions are legitimate features of a thriving democracy, but cautioned that electoral contests must never be allowed to threaten national cohesion.
“In the spirit of the accord we have just signed, we must conduct ourselves in ways that strengthen, not tear, the fabric of our society.
“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 or primordial sentiments of ethnicity or religion as tools for seeking power,” the president said.
He urged political actors to make the forthcoming campaigns a contest of ideas, policies, and programmes capable of improving the lives of citizens and advancing national 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,” he stated.
Reaffirming the commitment of his ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the tenets of the pact, President Tinubu declared that the party completely rejects violence, hate speech, and the deployment of modern tools to manipulate public opinion.
He said; “As the campaign season kicks off, I commit myself and my party, the All Progressives Congress, to the tenets of this accord.
“Our party rejects violence, hate speech, the spread of misinformation, including through artificial intelligence, and all forms of incitement, especially via social media.
“We are committed to peaceful, transparent elections that will strengthen political stability, social harmony, economic progress, and our nation’s prosperity. I encourage other political parties and political actors to do the same”.
Reminding candidates and supporters that elections should never be seen as a do-or-die affair, president Tinubu pointed out that political rivals remain partners in the collective task of nation-building.
“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.
The president praised the National Peace Committee, particularly its leadership comprising former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for their steadfastness in promoting non-violent, issue-based campaigns since 2014.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, President Tinubu highlighted significant technological advancements in election management by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
He cited the Permanent Voter Card PVC and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS as key innovations that have curtailed ballot manipulation and boosted public confidence.
Tinubu noted that the credibility of recent off-season governorship elections held in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun states demonstrates that transparent processes lead to reduced post-election litigation and deepen the consolidation of Nigeria’s democracy.
He called on civil society organizations, development partners, the media and citizens to support efforts aimed at promoting civic engagement, good governance, and institutional trust ahead of the 2027 polls.
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