The National Peace Committee has warned President Bola Tinubu, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and other political actors against inflammatory and inciting campaigns as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The committee, led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), issued the warning in a statement jointly signed by Abubakar and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah on Monday.
It expressed concern over the growing number of election-related incidents recorded across the country, saying 60 cases had been documented within one month.
According to the committee, the incidents included political violence, intimidation, threats, attacks on political activities and misinformation.
The peace panel called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to refrain from communications capable of inflaming tensions, while urging them to comply with commitments contained in the Accord.
It also stressed the need for political actors to verify information before publishing or circulating it and to prevent their supporters from engaging in unlawful conduct, intimidation or disruption of political activities.
The committee said every candidate should be allowed to campaign peacefully, political parties should be able to organise lawfully, and citizens should be free to make their political choices without intimidation or coercion.
It further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to strengthen its monitoring of political campaigns and ensure compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable regulations governing political parties and campaign conduct.
The committee said breaches identified by the electoral commission should attract appropriate regulatory action within its mandate, while suspected criminal violations should be promptly referred to relevant law-enforcement agencies.
“To political parties, candidates, and supporters: Immediately stop false, inflammatory or inciting communication. Uphold the commitments of the Accord, verify information before publication, and actively prevent supporters from engaging in unlawful conduct, intimidation, or disruption,” the statement read partly.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said he has no disagreement with Peter Obi despite political differences between Obi and his presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Rhodes-Vivour made the clarification in an interview with BBC Igbo uploaded on Monday, saying his primary concern remained Lagos State while reaffirming his commitment to the ADC and Atiku’s candidacy.
“I have no issues whatsoever with His Excellency Peter Obi, regardless of what happens at the top level. My first priority and my first love is Lagos State, and I must always make decisions based on Lagos first,” he said.
The ADC candidate recalled that his political journey had previously brought him into political alignment with both Atiku and Obi, noting that their positions had changed across different election cycles.
He said, “The first time I ran for Senate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was a presidential candidate; His Excellency Peter Obi was his vice president.”
According to him, the following election cycle saw both Atiku and Obi contesting the presidency separately.
Rhodes-Vivour said his current membership of the ADC meant Atiku was his presidential candidate and that he would work towards the success of the party.
“I’m in the ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is my presidential candidate, that’s where I am, so we are going to do everything we can for our party as the ADC,” he said.
He nevertheless urged Nigerians to vote according to their convictions and ensure that their votes counted.
“Nigerians should vote for who they believe is going to take them forward, and let’s ensure as a people that our voices are heard, and our votes count,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour also rejected the description of Lagos as a no-man’s land, saying the claim was offensive to him and his ancestry.
“Lagos has never been a no-man’s land,” he said.
He questioned the basis for the description, particularly in relation to land ownership and transactions in the state.
“If it’s no-man’s land, who are they buying the land from?” he asked.
The ADC candidate added, “But for anybody to say Lagos is a no-man’s land, that’s a very big insult. It’s an insult not just to me, it’s an insult to my ancestors.”
