National Peace Committee Addresses Electoral Violence in Nigeria

The National Peace Committee facilitates the Peace Accord, signed by presidential and gubernatorial candidates in Nigeria to promote peaceful elections. Despite the regular signing of these accords, the effectiveness in reducing political violence remains questionable.

The 2023 general election revealed significant gaps between signing the accord and adherence to its terms, with the committee's monitoring report documenting 89 infractions across 52 instances. Prominent violations included breaches of commitments to issue- and policy-based campaigning, alongside personality-focused and ethnic-based attacks.

Asabe Ndahi, Project Manager at the Kukah Centre Secretariat of the National Peace Committee, noted that the committee intervened multiple times during the electoral process to address these violations. On 19 January 2023, the committee convened political parties and presidential candidates to discuss documented infractions and secure renewed commitments for peaceful engagement ahead of the elections on 25 February 2023.