2027: For Violence-Free Campaigns

The commencement of intense electioneering activities towards the 2027 general elections offers Nigeria another historic opportunity to deepen its democratic culture. Politicians must eschew the habitual resort to personality attacks and divisive rhetoric that inflame passions and polarise the polity. What Nigerians deserve is a contest of ideas, policies, and programmes capable of addressing unemployment, inflation, and insecurity, among others. All political parties must be accorded a level playing field, for democracy cannot flourish where one group monopolises the public space while others are muzzled. A campaign anchored on issues, rather than invective, remains the only civilised path to legitimate leadership.

Regrettably, the reports of assaults on the offices of some political parties in Rivers State are utterly condemnable and portend a dangerous precedent. Law enforcement agencies must not tolerate such criminality under any guise. Such brigandage does not represent the democratic ethos the nation professes to uphold. It is imperative that all political gladiators in the state, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, sheath their swords and allow rival organisations to canvass freely. The police and other security operatives must protect persons and property without partisan colouration.

This descent is reminiscent of the 2023 experience in Rivers, which must not be allowed to recur. With campaigns for the 2023 elections about to commence fully, the state government, through Executive Order 21, prohibited the use of public schools for campaigns without approval from the Ministry of Education and demanded that applicants deposit a non-refundable N5 million as caution fees. Even when opposition figures opted for non-government facilities, they were obstructed or attacked. A presidential candidate was effectively prevented from campaigning in the state. Such conduct is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy and should not be repeated this year.

The practice of denying political opponents access to public facilities or inhibiting them from erecting billboards and posters to reach their supporters is patently undemocratic and should be discouraged. Democracy, by definition, entails free and unhindered participation. When state apparatus is deployed to frustrate legitimate political expression, the essence of pluralism is defeated. Public assets belong to all citizens, not to the ruling party of the day, and must be made available on equitable terms.

This intolerance is not peculiar to Rivers. In Lagos State, for instance, the campaign banners of a presidential candidate were reportedly removed on the orders of the authorities without cogent justification. Similarly, reports from the North indicate that the posters and banners of President Bola Tinubu are being destroyed, while campaign vehicles are vandalised. This pattern of mutual destruction was foreshadowed by the violence that marred the last general elections. Before the 2023 polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported attacks on at least 53 of its offices nationwide, while the European Union Election Observation Mission stated that at least 21 persons were killed in electoral violence during the 18 March governorship and State Assembly elections. The nation cannot persist in this trajectory and expect progress.

Nigeria deserves elections that conform to global standards, where outcomes reflect the genuine will of the electorate and inspire confidence. We hold the view that matters should be conducted properly and transparently. In the forthcoming polls, voters must be allowed to cast their ballots for candidates of their choice without intimidation, inducement or coercion, while politicians must be free to visit any part of the federation to solicit support. Credibility is not conferred by declaration; it is earned through impartial conduct.

Already, there are ominous signs of orchestrated violence emanating from the pronouncements of some political actors. Preparatory to the Osun State gubernatorial election, a senator allegedly enjoined his supporters to kill Accord Party opponents. What disciplinary or legal action was taken against him? Likewise, an area council chairman in Abuja reportedly advised those unwilling to support the ruling party to relocate from his council area to another location. Although he later claimed he was quoted out of context, many Nigerians perceived the clarification as an afterthought. Such inflammatory utterances heat up the polity and must be denounced.

In a similar vein, a commissioner in Borno State was reported to have boasted that anyone who failed to support the ruling party would be flogged. The said official has not been called to order. INEC should not remain mute in the face of these provocative declarations. The Electoral Act 2022 criminalises undue influence, intimidation, and incitement. The Electoral Commission, working in concert with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), should arrest and prosecute offenders to serve as a deterrent. Silence by regulatory and security agencies emboldens impunity.

The recent prohibition of Mr Peter Obi from reaching his destination in Benue State, allegedly on official instruction, smacks of political motivation and should not have been allowed to stand by security operatives. Nigerians are weary of such antics. It appears that those in positions of authority are deploying the powers of the state to achieve selfish partisan ends. Freedom of movement and association are constitutionally guaranteed and cannot be abridged to settle political scores.

Some state governments are already introducing unreasonable conditions and enacting laws manifestly designed to frustrate the opposition. From exorbitant fees to cumbersome permits for venues and outdoor advertising, the objective is to stifle competition. This should not be allowed to continue. What citizens require from candidates is not administrative hurdles against rivals, but a clear articulation of what they will do to improve livelihoods, secure lives, and restore public trust if elected.

INEC must ensure that politicians adhere strictly to the campaign regulations contained in the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its own guidelines. The Commission should halt this craziness before it spirals out of control. The electoral umpire must live up to its billing, no matter whose ox is gored. By demonstrating firmness, impartiality, and consistency in the application of sanctions, Nigerians would be persuaded that the body is serious and genuinely independent.

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) must complement the efforts of the electoral umpire and security agencies in maintaining sanity during the current electioneering period. Election observation, civic education, early warning, and advocacy for peace are indispensable. What all these developments indicate is that a segment of the political class has not learnt its lessons. It is a shame that crude, anachronistic politics is still being practised in this age. The 2027 elections must be violence-free, issue-based, and credible.