The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has described the signing of the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections as meaningless without justice, accountability and respect for democratic principles.
Adebayo spoke with journalists on Tuesday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, the venue of the signing of the accord by political parties and candidates ahead of the elections.
The event was organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with the Kukah Centre to commit political actors to peaceful and issue-based campaigns.
However, Adebayo questioned the effectiveness of the accord, arguing that similar agreements had been violated by political actors in previous elections without consequences.
“There cannot be anything like peace. How do you expect justice to be done for those who violate the rules? The people who sign first will be the first to violate it,” he said.
The SDP candidate accused the government of undermining democratic principles and intimidating opposition politicians, insisting that the government had a central role to play in ensuring peaceful elections.
“You have a government that is against democracy itself, that says challenge is an offence. It is a government that is intimidating, harassing the opposition,” Adebayo said.
According to him, electoral peace could be achieved without formal agreements if the government and relevant institutions performed their constitutional responsibilities.
“If the government, which is responsible for 90 per cent of the problems of elections, changes its ways, even if they don’t sign anything, there is no need for a peace accord to be signed,” he said.
He added that the President’s adherence to the Constitution and the independence of government institutions would make such agreements unnecessary.
“If the President can keep to his oath of office and govern the country according to the law, and make sure that all enforcement agencies, INEC and all the organisations and institutions of government play their role, there will be no need for signing this,” he said.
Adebayo said he attended the ceremony out of obligation but remained doubtful about the ability of the accord to prevent electoral violence.
“I believe that the ones who signed four years ago violated it. They won’t sign any time they violated it. So, we’re just here for fun,” he said.
He also rejected claims that the recently concluded Osun State governorship election represented an improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process, citing the deaths recorded during the poll.
“What improvement? If what you do is that people have been killed, what do you tell their families? What improvement?” he asked.
Adebayo further criticised the scale of security deployment during the Osun election, questioning the circumstances that warranted the presence of about 30 commissioners of police in the state.
“Thirty commissioners of police in one state, and all the problems. What is the thing there? There is no improvement,” he said.
He described the political confrontation surrounding the Osun election as an internal dispute, alleging that the violence associated with it had resulted in loss of lives.
The SDP candidate argued that Nigeria needed to build a political system in which institutions function effectively and independently, rather than relying on candidates to sign agreements before elections. “A civilised society won’t sign this kind of agreement now,” he said.
Adebayo maintained that a government that genuinely respects democracy and the rule of law should be capable of guaranteeing peaceful elections without being compelled to sign a peace accord.
“As far as a civilised government, a government of conscience, a government that follows the law, a government that won’t be called to come and sign peace, actually the government will be peaceful on its own,” he said.
He also questioned the symbolism of the President signing a peace agreement, arguing that it could be interpreted as an indication of inadequate leadership.
“If you are the President of the country and you have been asked to come and sign a peace accord, then your country is not at war. It shows to you that you have not shown leadership,” Adebayo said.
He maintained that the ultimate responsibility for peaceful elections rests with the government, security agencies, the electoral commission and other institutions mandated to protect democracy and enforce the law.
