2027 Elections: Peace Panel Flags 109 Accord Breaches, Warns of Rising Violence

The National Peace Committee (NPC) has revealed that 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 109 breaches of the National Peace Accord during a 10-week monitoring period, raising serious concerns over potential threats to the 2027 general elections.
​The monitoring report, covering August 19 to October 27, identified political violence, thuggery, and digital misinformation as the primary drivers of election-related friction.
​Flashpoints and Violation Breakdown
​Leading Infractions: Political violence and thuggery constituted the largest single category with 33 incidents (30.3%), followed by 29 cases of misinformation and disinformation (26.6%). Attacks on campaign assets accounted for 19 cases (17.4%), while intimidation and threats recorded 15 cases (13.8%).
​Regional Hotspots: Kaduna recorded the highest number of breaches with nine incidents, while Edo, Enugu, and the FCT logged seven each. Additional incidents occurred across Cross River, Kogi, Borno, Taraba, Ebonyi, Benue, and Oyo.
​Non-Physical Threats: Over 52% of the recorded infractions (57 cases) did not involve physical violence, encompassing online information disorder, administrative restrictions on free expression, and divisive rhetoric.
​To protect the integrity of the polls, the panel urged security agencies to provide equal, non-partisan protection for all lawful campaign activities, conduct transparent investigations into reported violations, and demand that political parties disown armed groups.
​2027 Electoral Timeline
​The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the general elections on the following dates:
​Presidential and National Assembly Elections: January 16, 2027
​Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections: February 6, 2027
​Campaigning for federal seats commenced on August 19, while state-level campaigns opened on September 9, following the signing of the 12-point National Peace Accord by 19 political parties in Abuja.
​Judiciary Urged to Prioritise Substantive Justice
​In a related development, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) called on members of the 2027 Election Petition Tribunals to avoid technicalities that undermine substantive justice.
​Speaking in Abuja at a three-day workshop organized by the Court of Appeal, Amupitan emphasized that post-election political stability depends heavily on judicial transparency, evidentiary rigour, and fair adjudication. He cautioned against dismissing electronic evidence outright and urged judges to verify the digital provenance and chain of custody for electronic records—including Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) data and IReV submissions—while guarding against synthetic deepfakes and AI-generated disinformation.
​Court of Appeal President Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem confirmed that 375 judicial officers—comprising 138 returning members and 237 newly nominated judges—have been selected to serve across the 2027 election tribunals.
​INEC Cautions Against Rhetoric Endangering Poll Staff
​Meanwhile, INEC issued a warning to political leaders and media practitioners against promoting the slogan “Rig and Die,” emphasizing that it endangers ad hoc electoral personnel working at polling units.
​Speaking on behalf of the commission at a media forum in Enugu, National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna noted that charged crowds could easily mistake technical delays or minor disruptions for deliberate malpractice, placing field workers at severe risk. The electoral body urged journalists to exercise restraint, verify reports before publication, and rely on official INEC channels for declared results.