The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on political parties and their supporters to conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections. He made the call in Minna, Niger State, during the turbanning ceremony of the INEC National Commissioner and Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. Amupitan warned against rhetoric capable of heating up the political environment or triggering violence.
Amupitan emphasized that political campaigns should focus on competing ideas and policy alternatives rather than personal attacks, calumny, and denigration. He appealed to traditional rulers to use their influence to promote peaceful political engagement and continuously counsel politicians and their supporters on responsible conduct throughout the electoral process. The INEC chairman stressed that voting is a fundamental right under the Constitution and not a privilege conferred on anybody.
The appeal comes as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and prospective candidates expected to intensify their mobilisation and campaigns in the months ahead. Amupitan stressed that political competition must remain within the bounds of the law, noting that the responsibility for peaceful elections extended beyond INEC to political parties, candidates, supporters, traditional institutions, security agencies, the media, and the electorate.
Amupitan particularly urged traditional rulers to deploy their influence in their communities to help maintain stability throughout the electoral cycle. He advised royal fathers to maintain regular engagement with politicians and their supporters and use their positions to discourage conduct capable of threatening peace and public order. The INEC chairman also commended traditional institutions for recognising and promoting the contributions of women to national development.
The occasion also featured the conferment of the traditional title of Gimbiyan Raya Kasan Minna on Oriaran-Anthony by the Emir of Minna. Speaking after receiving the title, Oriaran-Anthony expressed appreciation to the Emir and described the honour as a call to greater service to the people and the community. She noted that the title came with responsibilities, particularly in the areas of youth and women development, education, and attracting development initiatives to the emirate.
Oriaran-Anthony appealed to parents across the country to give their children equal opportunities, regardless of gender. She advised parents not to limit their children, whether boys or girls, as they do not know the child that God has destined to turn things around for the family, community, or nation. The call for peaceful campaigns comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over electoral violence, inflammatory rhetoric, and political thuggery during election periods in Nigeria.
Amupitan’s appeal places a responsibility on political parties and their supporters to ensure that the contest for political power remains a competition of ideas rather than a source of violence, intimidation, or disorder. For INEC, the challenge ahead will be to ensure that the electoral environment allows Nigerians to make their choices freely while all political actors respect the rules governing the contest.
Key points
- - INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan urges politicians to conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections. - Amupitan emphasizes that political campaigns should focus on competing ideas and policy alternatives rather than personal attacks, calumny, and denigration. - The INEC chairman stresses that voting is a fundamental right under the Constitution and not a privilege conferred on anybody.
