There is something reassuring about the ritual of political rivals gathering beneath the same roof and signing their names to a common promise of peace. In a country where elections have too often been accompanied by intimidation, inflammatory rhetoric and violence, the symbolism matters. It says that political competition need not become warfare; that opponents are adversaries, not enemies; and that the pursuit of power must remain subordinate to the survival of the republic.
That is why the National Peace Accord signed in Abuja on August 18, 2026, deserves to be welcomed. Facilitated by the National Peace Committee in partnership with The Kukah Centre, it commits political actors to peaceful, credible, free, and fair elections, rejects violence and hate speech, and calls for impartiality from the electoral commission and professionalism from security agencies.
But Nigeria must be careful not to mistake a declaration of good intentions for an architecture of credible elections.
A peace accord can moderate political behaviour, establish a moral baseline and give citizens a standard by which to judge candidates. What it cannot do is neutralise structural inequalities embedded in the electoral environment.
