The National Peace Committee (NPC) has raised concerns over rising political tension. It documented more than 60 violations of the electoral Peace Accord by political parties within a single month. The committee demanded stricter enforcement from security agencies. It spoke in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Peace Accord was introduced in 2015. It commits parties and candidates to non-violence. It was brokered by the NPC under Abdulsalami Abubakar. Previous accords have been signed and broken. In 2019, violations were recorded in several states. In 2023, the accord failed to prevent violence in Kano, Lagos and Rivers. The NPC has no enforcement power. It relies on moral suasion. That has limits.
The committee said the violations occurred in the run-up to the 2027 elections. They include thuggery, destruction of campaign materials and inflammatory rhetoric. The NPC named no specific parties. It said security agencies must act. It warned that unchecked violations could escalate. The 2027 campaign is intensifying. Edo and Anambra have already recorded clashes. The committee said the pattern must stop.
The NPC said it would continue to engage party leaders. It urged the media to report violations accurately. It called on civil society to monitor. The committee’s report is a warning. It is not a sanction. Enforcement depends on the police and the courts.
Winners: The NPC, which documents violations. Security agencies, if they act. Voters, if the climate improves. Losers: Parties that violate the accord, if exposed. Thugs, if prosecuted. The political process, which suffers from violence. Nigerians, who face insecurity during elections.
Bottom Line: Sixty violations in one month. The accord is being ignored. The NPC can document. It cannot enforce. Security agencies must act. Without consequences, the 2027 election will be violent. The pattern is known. It must break.