President Bola Tinubu and 16 other presidential candidates signed the 2027 National Peace Accord on Tuesday in Abuja, committing to issue-based campaigns and rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated disinformation ahead of general elections. The ceremony, held on the eve of official campaign commencement for presidential and National Assembly elections, saw Tinubu represented by George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who urged political parties to prioritize national interest above personal ambitions.
The accord, organized by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s troubled electoral history. Since the return to democracy in 1999, several elections have been marred by violence and intimidation, with the 2011 general elections recording widespread deadly clashes across the country. The National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, has facilitated such peace agreements since 2015 to reduce electoral tension.
Notable attendees included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, representing the Allied People’s Movement, though both were not physically present. Other signatories included Peter Obi, Adewale Adebayo, Donald Duke, Chibuzor Okereke and Omoyele Sowore, representing various political parties.
Meanwhile, political tensions have surfaced as former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose accused Governor Makinde of inordinate ambition, claiming Makinde had previously promised never to work against President Tinubu. Fayose alleged that Makinde caused problems within the Peoples Democratic Party and took control of party structures in Ekiti State. As campaigns officially begin, the peace accord represents a critical test of whether Nigeria’s political class can deliver on commitments to peaceful democratic competition.
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