Amid growing concerns over electoral violence in some parts of the country, President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the 2027 general elections will be peaceful.
Tinubu, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), gave the assurance while speaking at the North-Central presidential campaign rally in Jos, Plateau State, on Saturday, urging the electorate to exercise their right by voting with their permanent voter card.
“That’s your weapon to prosperity; that’s your roadmap. Use it effectively well. Use it to vote APC,” he said.
“Don’t worry about vagabonds. Don’t worry about purveyors of violence. We will take care of you. There will be peaceful elections. Go out and vote; vote for the candidates of the APC.”
‘Forgive Me’
While recalling his last visit to the state to meet with victims of attacks, the President asked families affected by the deadly attacks in Anguwan Rukuba, in Jos North Local Government Area of the state that left many killed and several injured to forgive him for not visiting the communities.
“When I last visited the other time, I was limited to the airport. Forgive me if you didn’t see me in the hinterland. But I saw the devastation; I got the report from the governor. I saw horror in the faces of our people.
“But since then, that has changed; we are forging together.
He, however, assured residents that their communities would be rebuilt for those displaced to return home.
Tinubu said too many lives had been lost to attacks in Plateau since 2001.
He condoled with families who have lost loved ones to such attacks.
Calling for unity, the President said speaking different languages should not lead to divisions.
“I have directed all the security agencies to take decisive action and sustain peace and stability on the Plateau.
“What we should be getting is prosperity, not havoc, not crisis. Our government is not elected to inflict wounds on one another or to bury people. We have to lift people up from penury to prosperity.
“One thousand forest guards are undergoing training right now. You will feel them; you will see them. You will feel secure in your villages and communities,” he added.
The President also said the surveillance cameras had been procured as promised.
Tinubu assured the residents that his government his working to ease their suffering.
Electoral Violence
The President’s comments came 24 hours after he directed security agencies to confront political thuggery and other anti-democratic activities with full force.
He warned that his administration would not tolerate violence as campaigns gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Tinubu, in a statement he personally signed on Friday, condemned attacks recorded at political events in different parts of the country and called on politicians and their supporters to avoid violence.
The President also said he had followed reports of violent incidents across the country, insisting that political campaigns should focus on issues and competing ideas that promote public welfare and national development.
The presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2026.
