WorldStage— The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), European Union (EU) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have called for urgent measures to protect civic and political space. ahead of the 2027 general elections.
They made this call on Wednesday at the opening of the 2026 Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders Forum on the State of Human Rights, organised by the NHRC with the support of the EU delegation to Nigeria.
The theme for the forum, is “Protecting Human Rights in Civic and Political Spaces in the 2027 Electionn.”
Speaking, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, warned that Nigeria’s democracy could be undermined if citizens, journalists, civil society organisations and human rights defenders are unable to exercise their fundamental freedoms without intimidation or harassment.
He said, the commission remained concerned over reports of hate speech, incitement and alleged misuse of laws, including the Cybercrimes Act, to restrict legitimate civic engagement.
Ojukwu said human rights defenders and civil society organisations were indispensable partners in strengthening democratic accountability and should not be treated as adversaries by state institutions.
The ES also renewed the commission’s call for the establishment of a dedicated Electoral Offences Commission in line with the recommendations of the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee.
” Let us be honest about the current electoral situation. The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued its revised timetable under the Electoral Act 2026.
” Yet civil society organisations, journalists and human rights defenders continue to operate in challenging environments marked by harassment, arbitrary arrests, and the misapplication of laws, including provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.
” We are concerned by political and voter intimidation, political exclusion by prohibitive nomination fees that exclude women, youth and persons with disabilities from candidature, by the persistence of hate speech and incitement, and by regulatory uncertainties around digital platforms.
” We are concerned, above all, by impunity evidenced by absence of accountability for electoral crimes,” he said
Similarly, the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot said, the union’s partnership with the NHRC, which began in 2024, had evolved into an important platform for assessing the human rights situation in Nigeria.
He added further for strengthening dialogue and developing collective responses to emerging challenges.
Mignot noted that free civic and political spaces, including independent media, public forums, peaceful assemblies and civil society organisations, were essential to ensuring transparent, credible and inclusive elections.
He warned that weakening these spaces would undermine citizens’ participation in elections and erode public confidence in democratic institutions.
Mignot reaffirmed the commitment of the European Union and its member states to supporting Nigeria’s democratic institutions and legitimate stakeholders, stressing that the partnership was not intended to interfere in the country’s electoral process.
“Our objective is not to interfere in the elections but support legitimate Nigerian stakeholders to fully play their roles in order to contribute to a free, fair and credible electoral process,” he said.
Speaking also , the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantale, called for stronger constitutional protection of fundamental freedoms and greater accountability for human rights violations and electoral offences.
He expressed concern over insecurity, killings, kidnappings, displacement of communities and other abuses.
Dantale condemned intimidation, arbitrary detention, excessive use of force and unlawful restrictions against citizens exercising their legitimate rights.
He furthercautioned against the misuse of cybercrime and cyberstalking laws to suppress legitimate public criticism and civic engagement.
Speaking on the 2027 elections, he warned that hate speech, vote buying and the activities of political thugs remained significant threats to Nigeria’s democratic development.
Dantale maintained that credible elections could not be measured solely by events on polling day.
He insisted that the entire electoral process, from campaigns and voter mobilisation to voting, collation and declaration of results, must be peaceful and transparent.
