Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has stirred fresh political controversy after staying away from the signing of the 2027 National Peace Accord, where other presidential candidates, including President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi, pledged to promote peaceful and issue-based campaigns ahead of the general elections.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), was conspicuously absent at the Abuja ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre. His absence, alongside that of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, immediately attracted attention as political parties prepare for what is expected to be a fiercely contested 2027 election battle.
The peace accord, signed on Tuesday ahead of the official commencement of presidential and National Assembly campaigns, commits political actors to rejecting violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other actions capable of threatening Nigeria’s democratic process.
President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking another term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was represented at the event by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume. Labour Party’s Peter Obi and other candidates attended the ceremony and endorsed the call for peaceful campaigns.
The development has triggered political discussions, with observers questioning why some major opposition figures chose not to participate in the symbolic event designed to set the tone for the 2027 electoral contest.
The National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has over the years facilitated similar agreements aimed at preventing election-related violence and encouraging candidates to respect democratic rules.
The accord came at a critical moment as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 polls, with the contest already shaping up as a major battle between the ruling APC and opposition forces.
Atiku, a former vice-president and one of Nigeria’s longest-serving presidential contenders, emerged as the ADC flagbearer after the party’s primary election and has positioned himself as a major challenger ahead of the polls.
However, his absence at the peace ceremony has added a new talking point to the growing political drama surrounding the 2027 race, with Nigerians watching closely to see how the major contenders conduct their campaigns in the months ahead.
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