WorldStage– Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has counselled political actors to exercise restraint and refrain from exploiting ethnic, religious and other primordial sentiments in their pursuit of political power.
Tinubu said political disagreements and competing visions were legitimate features of democracy, but warned that campaigns must not undermine 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,” he urged.
Tinubu gave the counsel in Abuja through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the signing of the first National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The President emphasized that political contests are not a matter of life and death, stating, “Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner.”
His statement coincided with the commencement of public election campaigns on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, appealing to political parties and candidates to explicitly shun ethnic and religious sentiments as tools to gain power.
Campaigns should center on superior ideas, practical governance plans, and programmes designed to improve the lives of Nigerians, he advised.
The President committed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to rejecting fake news, incitement via social media, and misinformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
He highlighted that structural improvements by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), have increased transparency and should minimize post-election disputes.
The historic peace pact was organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
The ceremony brought together top political leaders, including opposition presidential candidates Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress/Labour Party and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, alongside INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan and Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu. While major candidates committed their signatures to the accord, opposition figures voiced strong calls to ensure the pact goes beyond a ceremonial gesture to implement real accountability on the field.
