Former vice president and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, was absent on Tuesday as presidential candidates and political parties signed the first National Peace Accord for the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
Oyo State Governor and Presidential Candidate of the Allied People's Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, was also represented by the Vice Presidential candidate of the party, Lawal Daura, a former DG of the Department of State Services.
Atiku was, however, not represented at the event. Efforts to get the reason for his absence were not successful, as Mr Paul Ibe, his media adviser, did not respond to calls to his phone. He was yet to reply to messages sent to him as at the time of filing this report.
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However, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, told Daily Trust that the party was represented by the National Legal Adviser, Prof. Osumbor, at the event.
The ceremony was organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in partnership with the Kukah Centre.
The Accord is aimed at committing political parties, presidential candidates and their supporters to peaceful campaigns, respect for electoral institutions and issue-based engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, NPC Chairman General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd) appealed to political parties, candidates, and campaign spokespersons to conduct their activities with civility and decency.
"Over the years, political campaigns have created a platform for political parties to resort to name-calling, personal insults, and character assassination," Abubakar stated.
He cautioned that toxic campaign atmospheres risk inciting violence and undermining electoral integrity.
The Accord firmly anchors its commitments in the Constitution and the Electoral Act, supported by the NPC's Election Security Information (ESI) Hub to monitor electoral offences and provide monthly threat assessments.
With campaigns officially opening today and the elections five months away, the former Head of State urged political actors to focus on manifestoes, promote tolerance, and reject misinformation, fake news, and personal attacks.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, described the Accord as a critical political tradition capable of strengthening the moral authority required to promote sanity in the electoral process.
Amupitan urged political parties and their candidates to commit themselves to issue-based campaigns and present measurable manifestos that would prioritise the welfare and interests of Nigerians.
According to him, campaigns should provide an opportunity for candidates to present their programmes and compete for the mandate of the people, rather than become a platform for violence and confrontation.
"See the Peace Accord as a covenant to do what is good and preserve the sanctity of the nation," he said.
He cautioned against turning the electoral contest into a "war theatre", stressing the need for political actors to conduct themselves in ways that would strengthen democracy and preserve national unity.
Elections not a do-or-die contest - Tinubu
President Tinubu reminded candidates and their supporters that elections should never be treated as a do-or-die contest.
"Let us remember that elections are not a do-or-die affair. We are partners in the project of nation-building. Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner," he added.
He also called on political parties, candidates and other signatories to the peace accord to exercise restraint and refrain from exploiting "ethnic, religious and other primordial sentiments in the pursuit of political power."
Speaking through Senator George Akume, the President said political disagreements and competing visions were legitimate features of democracy, but warned that campaigns must never be allowed to undermine national cohesion or threaten the bonds holding Nigerians together.
"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.
"It is natural during campaigns to disagree as opponents and advocate competing governing visions for our country. We may exchange occasional political jabs. But as members of the same household, the same national family, we must never resort to divisive or primordial sentiments of ethnicity or religion as tools for seeking power," the President said.
He urged political actors to make the forthcoming campaigns a contest of ideas, policies and programmes capable of improving the lives of Nigerians and advancing the country's development.
"Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people and accelerate Nigeria's journey from a developing nation to a first-world country," he stated.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his personal commitment and that of the APC to the principles and obligations of the Peace Accord, stressing that the ruling party would conduct its campaign in a manner that promotes peace and national stability.
"As the campaign season kicks off, I commit myself and my party, the All Progressives Congress, to the tenets of this accord," he said.
The President declared that the APC rejects violence, hate speech, misinformation and every form of incitement, including the misuse of emerging technologies and social media to manipulate public opinion or inflame tensions.
"Our party rejects violence, hate speech, the spread of misinformation, including through artificial intelligence, and all forms of incitement, especially via social media.
"We are committed to peaceful, transparent elections that will strengthen political stability, social harmony, economic progress, and our nation's prosperity. I encourage other political parties and political actors to do the same," he said.
Obi seeks sanctions for violators of peace accord
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi, has called for a peace accord that would provide sanctions for candidates or parties that violate the commitments contained in the peace agreement.
"Whatever it is, whether we call it a justice accord or we call it a peace accord, personal conduct of the candidate must reflect the office he's seeking. Behaviour, expression, anytime, must reflect that office," he said.
He said punishment for politicians who violate the electoral commitments should come from voters at the ballot box. "The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them."
Obi also called for a peaceful and issue-based campaign, saying politicians seeking public office must conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the positions they are seeking to occupy.
Addressing journalists before the commencement of the ceremony, Obi stated that candidates need not be compelled by a peace accord to behave responsibly, arguing that those seeking political offices should set an example with their conduct.
Obi, who was the Labour Party Presidential candidate in the last election, said political leaders cannot demand to be addressed as "His Excellency" while failing to demonstrate excellence in their conduct.
"We don't even need to sign this. We're seeking an office where we should be exemplary. You can't answer 'His Excellency' without being an excellent person.
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"So, that process that will make you answer 'Excellency' should be excellent, and the only way to do it is to conduct yourself properly," he said.
Sowore: Lives have been lost despite peace accord
On his part, the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, said he does not have faith in the Accord because people have continued to get killed through violence even with the Peace Accord.
Sowore argued that lives had been lost in the recent Osun governorship elections despite actors signing such pacts.
He alleged that, "So, if you meant anything at all, why would you sign the peace accord and then go and carry a gun after that and kill 50 people?
"What will you be expecting after signing today's peace accord? We conclude the ritual and move on to campaigning."
"It has become a ritual of sorts. We're going to finish signing the peace accord, and you will hear about violence propelled by the major parties who are here. You don't need to be deceived," he argued.
Accord without justice meaningless - Adebayo
Also addressing journalists, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, described the signing of the National Peace Accord as meaningless without justice, accountability and respect for democratic principles.
Adebayo, who spoke with journalists at the venue of the signing of the accord by political parties and candidates, questioned the effectiveness of the Accord and argued that similar agreements had been violated by political actors in previous elections without consequences.
"There cannot be anything like peace. How do you expect justice to be done for those who violate the rules? The people who sign first will be the first to violate it," he alleged.
