BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The race towards Nigeria’s 2027 general elections is already raising fresh concerns over political violence, intimidation and the spread of fake news, following a report by the National Peace Committee (NPC) revealing 109 violations of the National Peace Accord across 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory in just 10 weeks.

The findings have raised questions about the commitment of political parties and their supporters to peaceful campaigns, with the committee warning that growing tensions, threats and misleading political information could undermine the credibility of the electoral process long before voters head to the polls.

According to the monitoring report, which covers August 19 to October 27, Kaduna State recorded the highest number of violations with nine incidents, while Edo State, Enugu State and the Federal Capital Territory followed with seven incidents each.

The committee identified political violence and thuggery as the most common violations, recording 33 cases, representing 30.3 per cent of the total. Misinformation and disinformation came second with 29 incidents, accounting for 26.6 per cent.

Attacks on political activities and campaign materials accounted for 19 cases, while intimidation and threats recorded 15 incidents. Together, these four categories represented 88 per cent of all violations documented during the monitoring period.

The report also listed seven cases involving restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, four inflammatory statements, one intra-party conflict and one incident of voter inducement.

Although the findings documented several cases of physical attacks and armed disruptions, the committee disclosed that 57 of the 109 violations, representing about 52 per cent, did not involve physical violence.

The incidents were recorded across different political environments, including campaign rallies, party meetings, processions, social media platforms, party offices, public speeches and interactions with security agencies.

With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduling the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly elections for February 6, the growing number of violations has intensified concerns about the atmosphere in which political activities are taking place.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections began on August 19, while campaigns for governorship and State Assembly positions commenced on September 9.

In an effort to prevent election-related violence, 19 political parties signed the National Peace Accord in Abuja on August 18, committing themselves to 12 standards designed to promote peaceful, inclusive and issue-based campaigns.

The agreement requires political parties and their candidates to reject violence, threats and intimidation, provide truthful political information, use digital media responsibly and respect electoral and security institutions.

It also prohibits the partisan misuse of public authority and encourages respectful communication among political actors.

However, the committee's latest findings suggest that serious violations have continued despite the commitments made by the political parties.

Among the incidents highlighted was the reported obstruction of the convoy of former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, near Makurdi, Benue State, on September 8.

In Enugu State, the committee documented repeated armed disruptions of political gatherings and party premises belonging to the Nigeria Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party between September and October.

Other reported incidents included the disruption of PDP consultations by gunmen in Calabar South, Cross River State, on October 2, and the alleged shooting of an African Democratic Congress supporter during political activities in Igueben, Edo State, four days later.

Oyo State also featured prominently in the report, which documented violence during a political procession in Ibadan between October 14 and 17 that reportedly claimed one life. An APC ward member was also reportedly killed days later, although allegations linking a local government official to the violence were denied.

The committee identified Kaduna, Edo, Cross River, Kogi and Borno among the states affected by political tensions and other violations, describing some locations as potential flashpoints ahead of the elections.

Beyond physical attacks, the report raised concerns about the growing use of threats and intimidation to influence political participation.

It documented 15 incidents involving political office-holders and party officials across the country, with cases reported in Edo, Taraba, the FCT and Ebonyi states.

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One of the incidents involved an alleged threat by an APC state chairman to unleash AK-47 gunfire on individuals standing in the way of an electoral target.

In another case, the chairman of Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba State was accused of warning civil servants against voting for candidates other than his preferred choice.

The committee also expressed concern over attempts to exploit religious beliefs and family relationships to influence voters' political decisions.

It cited an alleged appeal by an APC-affiliated lawmaker in Oyo State urging Muslim voters to reject Christian candidates.

In Yobe State, a party official reportedly advised women to leave their husbands if they supported a different political party, raising concerns about the use of family relationships and religious sentiments as political weapons.

The report further documented seven incidents involving restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.

These included the arrest and subsequent prosecution of men in Borno State for wearing shirts bearing messages critical of the government, as well as the police dispersal of a political support group's march in Akwa Ibom State.

The committee warned that unjustified restrictions on peaceful political activities could discourage citizens from expressing their opinions, attending rallies and participating freely in the electoral process.

Misinformation also emerged as a major threat, with the monitoring exercise identifying 29 incidents involving fabricated newspaper headlines, recycled campaign videos, forged documents and false attribution of political statements.

Some old campaign videos were reportedly circulated again to create the impression that certain political events or endorsements had recently taken place.

The report also identified fabricated political promises attributed to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on social media, alongside falsified letters purportedly concerning President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi.

Fake newspaper-style front pages containing fabricated political quotations were also listed among the tactics used to mislead the public.

According to the committee, the circulation of false political content could distort public discussions, damage the reputations of political figures and deepen distrust among supporters of different political parties.

It further disclosed that 30 incidents originated online, with many lacking identifiable state locations because the content spread across geographical boundaries.

The report also examined the involvement of political parties in the recorded incidents, distinguishing between parties identified as alleged perpetrators and those targeted.

The All Progressives Congress featured as an alleged actor in 24 incidents and was also targeted in 23 cases. The Nigeria Democratic Congress was identified as an actor in four incidents but was targeted in 28 cases.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress was listed as an alleged actor in two incidents and a target in 15, while the Peoples Democratic Party featured as an actor in four cases and a target in six.

In response to the findings, the National Peace Committee called for investigations into reported violations and urged security agencies to ensure equal protection for all lawful political activities, regardless of party affiliation.

It also called on political parties and candidates to publicly condemn violence, distance themselves from armed groups and ensure that individuals responsible for threats, intimidation and attacks are held accountable.

The committee's warning comes at a critical stage in Nigeria's political calendar, as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum. With more than two months of campaign monitoring already producing over 100 recorded violations, concerns are growing over whether political actors will honour their promises to maintain peace as the contest for power intensifies.