Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections are facing growing concerns over political violence, raising questions about the ability of political actors to uphold the peace commitments they made ahead of the polls.

The concerns come only weeks after presidential candidates, political parties and other stakeholders signed the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 elections.

The agreement was signed in Abuja on August 18, shortly before the formal commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the elections.

Under the peace pledge, political actors committed themselves to issue-based campaigns and promised to reject violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other actions capable of threatening the electoral process.

President Bola Tinubu, who was among the candidates who signed the agreement, described the document as a commitment to Nigerians that political leaders would place the interests of the country above personal and partisan ambitions.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, also warned political actors against turning election campaigns into battles, urging candidates to focus on competing ideas, policies and programmes.

However, concerns over political violence remain as political activities gather momentum across the country.

The growing tension has renewed questions about whether political parties and their supporters will honour the commitments contained in the peace pledge once campaigns become more intense and the competition for votes becomes fiercer.

Security concerns are already a major issue ahead of the election, with Nigeria continuing to deal with terrorism, kidnapping, communal conflicts and other forms of insecurity. The country’s broader security challenges have raised concerns about the ability of authorities to guarantee a peaceful electoral environment.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), recently warned Nigerian youths against allowing themselves to be used by politicians or criminal elements to perpetrate violence as political activities increase ahead of the 2027 elections.

Musa’s warning reflects concerns that young people could be recruited or manipulated to participate in political violence, particularly during rallies, campaigns and other election-related activities.

Beyond physical violence, stakeholders are also worried about the role of misinformation and inflammatory content in escalating tensions.

False claims, manipulated videos, fabricated election results and rumours about political candidates or communities can spread rapidly through social media platforms, potentially turning political disagreements into real-world confrontations.

Experts have warned that misinformation could become particularly dangerous in an environment already affected by insecurity and ethnic and religious tensions.

The issue is particularly important because political campaigns are increasingly being conducted both physically and online, giving inflammatory messages the ability to reach thousands of people within a short period.

The National Peace Accord was therefore designed to establish clear boundaries for political competition before campaigns intensified.

The agreement was organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre and brought together political party leaders, presidential and National Assembly candidates, INEC officials, security agencies and members of the diplomatic community.

INEC has also been preparing for a large-scale electoral operation, with plans to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

The commission said it was drawing lessons from recent off-cycle elections as part of preparations to improve the conduct and security of the 2027 polls. It also announced the establishment of faith-based peace structures in 23 states to complement national peace-building efforts.

Despite these preparations, observers say signing a peace document alone may not be enough to prevent violence.

Political leaders, candidates and party supporters will ultimately have to demonstrate their commitment through their conduct during campaigns, rallies, debates and the electoral process itself.

The challenge will also extend to political parties, security agencies, electoral officials, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and ordinary voters, all of whom have roles to play in preventing election-related violence.

As the 2027 contest gradually intensifies, the credibility of the peace pledge will increasingly depend on whether political actors can restrain their supporters, reject inflammatory rhetoric and accept lawful mechanisms for resolving electoral disputes.

For Nigeria, the stakes are high. A peaceful election would strengthen democratic institutions and public confidence, while widespread violence could deepen existing divisions and undermine the credibility of the electoral process.

With political activities gathering momentum, the coming months will therefore provide a crucial test of whether the promises made in the peace pledge can translate into peaceful conduct on the ground.