The National Peace Committee (NPC), chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has invited African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the party’s National Chairman, Samuel Ajeigbe, to sign the first National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The committee said the invitation was part of efforts to encourage peaceful political participation, promote issue-based campaigns and ensure that political competition ahead of the elections remains within the bounds of democratic values.
The move comes amid increasing political activities and preparations by parties ahead of the 2027 polls, with the NPC expressing concerns over trends capable of increasing tensions as campaigns and mobilisation activities intensify.
In separate letters dated August 6, 2026, addressed to Sowore and Ajeigbe, the committee stated that the peace accord signing ceremony would focus on securing commitments from political actors towards peaceful campaigns, respect for opposing views and responsible political engagement.
The event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, at 2:00 p.m. at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The ceremony will take place a day before the official commencement of political campaigns and rallies for the 2027 general elections, as fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
According to the NPC, its Election Security Information (ESI) Hub has detected renewed trends that could heighten political tensions as registered political parties begin active mobilisation ahead of the elections.
“These trends underscore the need for all registered political parties and their presidential candidates to recommit to issue-based campaigns, reject violence and misinformation, and promote civility, respect for opposing views, and political debates centred on party manifestoes, programmes and policies,” the committee said.
The National Peace Accord was introduced by the NPC in 2015 as an intervention aimed at reducing election-related tensions, encouraging peaceful political campaigns and strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
The initiative was later expanded during the 2019 general elections through the signing of the First and Second Peace Accords, which focused on peaceful democratic transitions, credible elections and commitment to issue-based campaigns.
The invitation to the AAC leadership comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential and other elections, with stakeholders closely monitoring the conduct and tone of political activities ahead of the polls.
The NPC urged political actors to commit themselves to peaceful competition, avoid actions capable of provoking violence and promote campaigns centred on policies, programmes and national development.
Sowore, a prominent critic of successive Nigerian governments, is contesting the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Action Congress, while Ajeigbe serves as the party’s national chairman.
The committee asked both officials to confirm their attendance through Barrister Asabe Ndahi or Reverend Father Atta Barkindo at the Kukah Centre, which serves as the secretariat of the National Peace Committee.
The development comes as election stakeholders and civil society groups continue to call for responsible political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections, amid concerns over the impact of misinformation and increasingly confrontational political campaigns on Nigeria’s democratic environment.