As 2027 General Elections campaign season begins

 

The campaign season for the 2027 polls in Nigeria officially began last Wednesday, August 19, 2026. This is for presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives candidates and their political parties. Those of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates will kick off on September 9, 2026.  All campaigns are to cease 24 hours to election day according to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities published by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Campaigns are to hold for 150 days according to section 98. (1) of Electoral Act 2026 which states that “For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.”

It is noteworthy that perhaps for the first time since the National Peace Committee was established in 2014, the NPC has decided to have two Peace Accord signing ceremonies ahead of 2027 General Elections. The first one was held last week Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja. I was there and was even among the panelists that discussed the significance of the peace pact live on Channels Television. The discussion was moderated by Maupe Ogun-Yusuf.  President Bola Tinubu was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume while his party, All Progressives Congress national chairman, Prof. Nantawe Yilwatda was physically there. However, African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, ex. Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde were not there nor represented. I do hope all those who signed the peace accord will uphold the tenets of the accord.

It is very important that the Electoral Act 2026 in the main has prescribed way and manner that campaigns are to be conducted for the contestants. I advise all candidates and their political parties to get an authentic copy of the Act and study the provisions of sections 95 to 101.  I will endeavour to cite some of the provisions in this commentary.

According to section 95(1) of the Act “The Commissioner of Police in each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, shall provide adequate security for proper and peaceful conduct of political rallies and processions in their respective jurisdictions and, for this purpose, the Police may be supported by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and any other security agency of the Federal Government.” Subsection (4) says “A registered political party in Nigeria, its aspirant or candidate shall not be prevented from holding rallies, processions or meetings at any time for their constitutional political purposes, and the Police shall in a consultative manner, resolve any conflict of time and venue between and amongst parties where such arises.”

Section 96. (1) says “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.” Sub.  (2)  says “Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language, insinuations or innuendoes designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.” I recall an incident in Kano last week when APC loyalists and youths in the Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State burned symbolic red caps associated with Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Kwankwasiyya movement in a viral confrontation. The flare-up followed local reports of political provocations and an alleged earlier burning of caps and symbols belonging to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress by a local figure linked to the Kwankwasiyya camp. APC supporters, mobilised in solidarity, responded by setting red Kwankwasiyya caps on fire while chanting political slogans.  House of Representatives member Abdulmumin Jibrin defended the actions of the APC loyalists on Channels Television as a form of political self-defense and a "tit for tat" response to initial provocations.

Section 96(3) of the Act says “Places designated for religious worship, police stations, and public offices shall not be used — (a) for political campaigns, rallies and processions; or (b) to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or their programmes or ideologies.” We saw an abuse of this provision in the just concluded Osun State off-cycle governorship election.  It is noteworthy that “Masquerades shall not be employed or used by any political party, aspirant or candidate during political campaigns or for any other political purpose.” This is according to section 96(4) of the Electoral Act 2026.

Section 97. (1) says “A party, candidate, aspirant, or person or group of persons shall not directly or indirectly threaten any person with the use of force or violence during any political campaign in order to compel that person or any other person to support or refrain from supporting a political party or candidate.”

Worthy of mention is section 99 (2) of Electoral Act 2026 which states that “State apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.” This is what I referenced on THISDAY Live with Dr. Reuben Abati last Sunday when I featured on the ARISE News TV show. I said it is bad optics for Nigeria’s Nigeria Revenue Service chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji to be on the President Tinubu’s Campaign Council as Deputy Director for Fundraising Committee. This is reprehensible and tantamount to conflict of interest. There is no gainsaying that part of Nigeria’s commonwealth may be doled out to APC while some of the high-net-worth individuals and corporate organisations who will support the presidential campaign may later on get tax waivers in what is known in politics as quid-pro-quo or what is referred to in local parlance as “rub-my-back-I-rub-your-back” This will not create a level playing field for all the contestants.

I have been asked by many media organisations on what the 2027 campaign season should dwell on and I have repeatedly said that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered already gave a template for issue-based campaign when it says security and welfare of citizens shall be the primary purpose of government. Can the contestants tell us in details on how they want to improve our welfare and security? Embedded in welfare is provision of social amenities such as electricity, piped borne water, schools, hospitals, good road network, etcetera. Security: both physical and food security is imperative and sine-qua-non to development. This campaign season, Nigerians want to know how our presidential and governorship candidates intend to reduce unemployment and poverty, how they intend to resolve the current rising cost of living crisis and lastly, how they want to connect our democracy to development.

I.G: @jideojong