Peter Obi signs national peace accord ahead of 2027 elections

On Tuesday in Abuja, Peter Obi—the Nigeria Democratic Congress's presidential candidate—appended his signature to the National Peace Accord. The ceremony happened at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre and was orchestrated jointly by the National Peace Committee alongside The Kukah Centre.

Joining him were numerous other presidential contenders and party representatives, all committing to the same pledge: to anchor their campaigns upon substantive policy positions rather than incendiary language. Obi underscored that those aspiring to political office bear a responsibility to demonstrate fitness through their actions and demeanor.

He voiced deep concern regarding deaths tied to electoral processes across Nigeria and appealed to voters to turn away from aspirants employing violence, threats, or inflammatory speech. Central to his message was the imperative of campaigns grounded in problems affecting everyday Nigerians, moving away from divisive messaging.

The accord functions as a binding instrument establishing expectations for political participants, promoting substantive and peaceful competition while restricting violence, threats, incendiary discourse, and other behaviour threatening the integrity of elections. Reports indicate that other leading presidential hopefuls—among them President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar representing the African Democratic Congress—were anticipated to append their signatures to this document.

The 2027 nationwide electoral exercise will be Nigeria's subsequent major poll. Through this accord signing, the National Peace Committee sought to create common ground regarding expected conduct among rival candidates before campaigning officially begins.