2027 Peace Accord Signed As Opposition Questions Its Impact

2027 Peace Accord Signed as Opposition Questions Its Impact

Presidential candidates and political party leaders have signed the National Peace Accord ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, pledging to promote peaceful, credible and issue-based campaigns.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Abuja ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections. The ceremony brought together presidential candidates, party leaders, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, security agencies, civil society organisations and members of the diplomatic community. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented at the signing by Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, urged political actors to reject violence, hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric, stressing that the 2027 election must not become a “do-or-die affair. However, opposition candidates questioned whether the accord would be enough to prevent electoral violence and guarantee credible elections. Peter Obi questioned the need for an accord if politicians would not genuinely abide by its provisions, arguing that candidates should demonstrate peaceful conduct rather than simply sign an agreement. Adewole Adebayo similarly argued that government must first uphold its constitutional responsibilities and create conditions for democratic competition. Omoyele Sowore went further, saying he did not have confidence in the accord because previous agreements had failed to prevent violence. He proposed complementing the Peace Accord with a “Justice Accord” containing enforceable consequences for violations. The National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, called on politicians to avoid character assassination, fake news, insults and inflammatory statements. The accord was signed by several presidential candidates, including Tinubu’s representative, Obi, Sowore, Adebayo, Donald Duke, Aliyu Bin Abbas and Labour Party candidate Chibuzo Okereke. Notably absent from the ceremony were Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress ADC presidential candidate, and his running mate Rotimi Amaechi. The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has meanwhile pledged neutrality and a level playing field for all political parties and candidates, while civil society and religious leaders have urged citizens to play an active role in protecting the integrity of the electoral process. The signing comes as Nigeria enters a crucial phase of the 2027 electoral cycle. While the accord provides a public commitment to peaceful elections, opposition concerns highlight the bigger challenge: ensuring that political actors, institutions and their supporters face meaningful consequences when those commitments are breached. The Peace Accord sets the tone for the 2027 campaign, but its credibility will ultimately depend not on the signatures gathered in Abuja, but on whether those who signed it respect its principles when political competition intensifies.