The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has called on political parties and candidates to make the 2027 election campaign a “marketplace of ideas” rather than a “theatre of war”.
Amupitan made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the signing of the first National Peace Accord for the 2027 general elections, organised by the National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Addressing presidential candidates and party leaders at the event, the INEC chairman described the accord as more than a ceremonial document, saying it represents a commitment to the Nigerian people.
He urged political leaders to lead by example, stressing that their supporters often take their cues from the language and conduct of their leaders.
“Presidential candidates, if you speak the language of peace, they will act with peace; if you incite them, they will ignite,” he said.
Focus on Policies, Not Personal Attacks
Amupitan urged candidates to base their campaigns on policies, solutions and practical plans for addressing Nigeria’s challenges, rather than personal attacks.
He asked presidential candidates to clearly explain to voters what they intend to do for the economy, security and education, as well as how they plan to achieve their objectives.
“Let the 2027 campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” he said.
The INEC chairman also urged political actors to respect electoral laws and institutions while engaging in constructive criticism.
He cautioned candidates and their supporters against making premature claims of victory or disseminating information capable of undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Amupitan further expressed concern over the growing influence of digital communication on elections, warning about the potential impact of misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference.
The professor of law urged political parties and candidates to fully uphold the provisions of the peace accord and conduct their campaigns with restraint and responsibility.
“Let us compete decently, but let us remember that at the end of this exercise, there will be no winner if Nigeria is not the winner,” he said.
INEC Has No Preferred Candidate
Amupitan also assured Nigerians that INEC would remain neutral throughout the 2027 electoral process, stressing that the commission has no preferred candidate or political platform.
“Let me state unequivocally that INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election, nor does it favour any political platform. Our only interest is a lawful, transparent, credible and inclusive process,” he said.
He urged all registered political parties, presidential candidates and other contestants to internalise and uphold the commitments contained in the peace accord.
The National Peace Committee introduced the peace accord ahead of the 2015 general elections as part of efforts to promote peaceful elections, mediate political disputes and encourage political actors to accept electoral outcomes.
The 2015 accord was signed by then-presidential candidates Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari and preceded Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power from an incumbent ruling party to an opposition party since the return to democracy in 1999.
The initiative has since been extended to several off-cycle governorship elections across the country.
The accord commits political parties and their candidates to peaceful conduct and issue-based campaigns before, during and after elections.
According to INEC’s timetable, the official campaign for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections begins on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, while the elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.
