By Fred Nwaozor
According to the time-table for the fast-approaching 2027 general elections as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the electioneering campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly polls commenced on August 19, 2026, while others are scheduled to follow suit soonest.
As Nigeria undergoes such a critical period in the country’s socio-political story, political actors and parties must recognise that elections are a contest for public service, not a declaration of war against political opponents.
Campaigns should therefore be issue-based, focusing on policies, programmes, competence, character, antecedents, and verifiable records rather than insults, intimidation, ethnic or religious sentiments, and personal attacks.
Nigeria’s current electoral regulations require campaigns to operate within prescribed legal periods and frameworks, while INEC has continued to emphasise peaceful and lawful political engagement.
Political allies, supporters and campaign groups should understand that loyalty to a candidate does not require hostility towards everyone supporting another candidate. They must avoid inflammatory speeches, threats, violence, destruction of campaign materials and the deliberate circulation of false information.
Political leaders should particularly restrain their supporters because words spoken by influential figures can easily translate into actions at the grassroots. The ultimate objective should be to win an election, not to destroy relationships and communities that must continue to exist after the election.
The electoral umpire, particularly INEC, must remain visibly impartial, transparent and firm in applying the rules to all participants. Every party and candidate should be treated according to the same standards, with violations investigated and appropriate sanctions applied without fear or favour.
INEC itself should identify autonomy, transparency, integrity, credibility, impartiality and equity among its core values. Its credibility will depend not only on the final declaration of results but also on how fairly it manages the entire process leading to that declaration.
The security agencies and other election-related institutions must provide a secure environment in which citizens can campaign, attend political gatherings and exercise their civic rights without intimidation. Security personnel should remain professional and politically neutral, protecting all legitimate participants rather than becoming instruments in the hands of political interests.
Electoral observers and party agents also have defined roles and responsibilities that should be respected throughout the process. The media, on its part, should regard election coverage as a public responsibility rather than merely a commercial opportunity. Journalists and media organisations should verify claims before publication, distinguish facts from opinions, give appropriate opportunity for responses, and avoid sensational headlines capable of inflaming political tensions.
Equal and responsible coverage of competing political interests is particularly important, while social-media platforms, bloggers, and online publishers should resist becoming channels for propaganda, fabricated stories and deliberate disinformation. It’s noteworthy that INEC has recognised the importance of responsible election coverage through its “Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage”.
Civil society organisations, professional bodies, religious and community leaders should serve as voices of moderation, civic education and accountability. They are meant to educate citizens about their rights and responsibilities, monitor the conduct of political actors and electoral institutions, document credible concerns and encourage peaceful participation.
Rather than becoming extensions of political parties, civil society organisations should maintain sufficient independence to commend good conduct regardless of who demonstrates it and condemn misconduct irrespective of who commits it.
Similarly, the electorate must recognise that the responsibility for a peaceful election does not rest exclusively on politicians or INEC. Voters should assess candidates based on their programmes, competence, integrity and capacity to serve, rather than allowing ethnicity, religion, personal inducements or online propaganda to determine their choices.
They should reject violence, refuse to participate in the destruction of electoral materials or public property, verify information before sharing it, and respect the constitutional right of fellow citizens to support different candidates of their choices. A responsible electorate is one of the strongest safeguards against electoral manipulation.
Above all, every stakeholder must remember that Nigeria will remain after the campaigns are over. Political offices are temporary, but communities, friendships, families and national institutions must endure. Those who win should govern with humility and those who lose should accept legitimate outcomes while using lawful channels to challenge genuine grievances.
Parties, candidates, INEC, security agencies, the media, civil society and voters should therefore approach the electioneering period with restraint, fairness and patriotism.
The true victory should not merely be the emergence of one candidate over another, but the preservation and strengthening of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and peaceful coexistence. Think about it.
