“Nigeria Cannot Afford To Fail In 2027” — UNOWAS Urges Peaceful Elections As NHRC Warns Against Electoral Offences

The National Human Rights Commission has warned that Nigeria’s failure to effectively prosecute electoral offenders remains a major threat to free, fair and peaceful elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, said electoral offences would continue to undermine the country’s democratic process for as long as perpetrators were able to commit violations without facing consequences.

Ojukwu spoke on Monday when he received a delegation from the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel at the NHRC headquarters in Abuja.

The delegation was led by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of UNOWAS, Leonardo Santos Simão.

The meeting focused on Nigeria’s political and security environment, preparations for the 2027 general elections, emerging challenges and efforts to ensure peaceful and credible polls.

Ojukwu said one of the major difficulties in addressing electoral offences was that perpetrators often acted on behalf of influential political figures, making it more difficult to hold those behind them accountable.

According to him, the Commission had discovered that “people who are committing these election offences are acting on behalf of key politicians.”

He said the situation continued to make the electoral environment fragile because impunity could encourage further violations.

“As long as people can commit these election-related offences and go scot-free, then anybody can try anything they like,” he said.

Ojukwu also expressed concern over the continued absence of a dedicated framework for dealing effectively with electoral offences, recalling recommendations made by the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee.

The committee, established following the controversial 2007 general elections, had recommended reforms aimed at strengthening the electoral system, including a framework for investigating and prosecuting election-related offences.

Ojukwu said the failure to fully address that recommendation remained a gap in Nigeria’s electoral reform process.

He said the Commission was also paying attention to the conduct of political actors as campaigns intensify ahead of the 2027 elections, noting that inflammatory statements, threats and restrictions on political participation could undermine a level playing field.

To address such concerns, Ojukwu disclosed that the NHRC was preparing an advisory to guide political actors, security agencies and government authorities on acceptable conduct and the limits of state interference with citizens’ rights.

He said another advisory was being developed on the government’s response to civic space, particularly concerns arising from the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act.

The Commission has also deployed monitoring mechanisms, including its Human Rights Dashboard, Human Rights Observatory and Election Situation Room, to track political developments and identify potential rights violations ahead of the elections.

Responding, Simão commended the NHRC’s preparations and stressed that political campaigns must take place within the law, with particular emphasis on protecting human life and preventing violence.

He said peaceful elections were usually the result of extensive preparatory work by institutions and stakeholders long before polling day.

“When elections go without violence, there is a lot of work that happens before. Sometimes it is not visible to the general public,” he said.

Simão explained that the UN delegation was engaging institutions and stakeholders to understand their preparations and determine where support might be required to ensure that Nigeria’s elections take place in a peaceful atmosphere.

He stressed that the delegation was not in Nigeria to inspect or police the NHRC, but to support institutions working towards credible elections.

“Our objective is that Nigeria continue to be an example of other kinds of support. So you cannot afford to fail. It’s forbidden for Nigeria to fail,” he said.

“Our work is continuing to remind you that you can do it and you are going to do it.”

The NHRC said it would continue engaging political actors, security agencies and other stakeholders as part of efforts to protect political rights, reduce violence and promote a level playing field ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Post Title: “Nigeria Cannot Afford To Fail In 2027” — UNOWAS Urges Peaceful Elections As NHRC Warns Against Electoral Offences By Papers Nigeria.