Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has warned that Nigeria may not achieve peaceful and credible elections in 2027 if political actors choose violence and misinformation over dialogue and democratic processes.
Musa gave the warning through his Senior Special Adviser on Policy and Strategy, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Akinjobi (retd.), at the eighth Blueprint Newspaper Lecture and Awards.
The minister said security agencies alone could not guarantee peaceful elections if politicians were determined to use violence to gain political advantage.
He said political parties and candidates must see elections as a democratic contest rather than a battle, while placing the interest of the country above personal and partisan ambitions.
Musa also cautioned that the spread of false information could weaken the electoral process and reduce public confidence in democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Ahead of the 2027 elections, the minister proposed a six-point approach to election security.
The plan covers better intelligence sharing, threat assessment, protection of digital infrastructure, stronger cyber security, improved coordination between civilian and military authorities, and effective strategic communication.
He said the Armed Forces would work alongside the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Independent National Electoral Commission and other relevant institutions.
According to him, the security agencies would carry out their constitutional duties professionally and without taking sides in the political contest.
Musa said the Armed Forces had no interest in determining which political party or candidate wins an election, adding that their concern was to maintain peace, unity and security across the country.
He called on political parties, candidates and their supporters to respect the law and avoid actions capable of creating tension before, during and after the elections.
The minister also urged the media, civil society organisations, traditional rulers and religious leaders to support civic education, responsible reporting and peaceful participation.
He further appealed to Nigerian youths to reject political violence and refuse to allow themselves to be used to cause unrest during the electoral process.
Musa said the success of the 2027 elections would require cooperation among political actors, security agencies, electoral institutions, the media and citizens.
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!