The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, to caution politicians against divisive conduct as campaigns for the 2027 general elections intensify.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the appeal on Tuesday when he led officials of the commission on a courtesy visit to the monarch at Iga Idunganran, Lagos Island.

The visit was part of activities marking the conclusion of INEC’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session.

Amupitan urged the Oba to deploy his influence as a traditional ruler and father to politicians across party lines to encourage issue-based campaigns and discourage personal attacks, hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric.

He said: “We urge you, as a father to all politicians regardless of their party affiliations, to counsel them to focus on issues rather than insults. Let them debate policies, not personalities”.

The INEC chairman described traditional institutions as important pillars of peace and social cohesion, stressing that their influence was critical to ensuring a peaceful electoral process.

According to him, while INEC is deploying technology to strengthen the electoral process, technological innovations alone cannot guarantee peaceful and credible elections without the cooperation of citizens and traditional institutions.

He appealed to the Oba of Lagos and the Lagos Traditional Council to support the commission in mobilising residents to participate actively in the electoral process.

Amupitan said the National Register of Voters was fast approaching 100 million, adding that managing the electoral process across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory required not only technical preparedness but also the cooperation and moral support of traditional institutions.

According to him, traditional rulers remained enduring anchors of their communities, whose influence extended beyond political parties and electoral cycles.

The INEC chairman sought the monarch’s support in encouraging eligible residents to complete their voter registration and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

He requested the traditional institution’s continued advocacy for peace among community leaders, market associations, youth groups and political actors ahead of the elections.

Responding, Oba Akiolu supported the call for issue-based politics, urging politicians to abandon short-term patronage and focus on genuine engagement and capacity building.

“Politicians must move away from the culture of short-term patronage and focus on genuine capacity building  teaching our people how to fish rather than giving them fish,” the monarch said.

He called on politicians to ensure their campaigns remained strictly issue-based and free from hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric.

The monarch charged traditional rulers to guide their communities towards greater civic participation, stressing their responsibility to encourage citizens to exercise their democratic rights.

Akiolu urged Amupitan and the National Commissioners to remain honest, impartial and steadfast in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.

“As Royal Fathers, it is our solemn duty to guide our communities and inspire citizens to turn out in large numbers to exercise their democratic franchise.

“I appeal to the Chairman and National Commissioners to remain unwavering, honest, and steadfast in your sacred trust,” he said.

He equally called on the Federal Government to ensure full and timely funding for elections, saying INEC should be provided with the resources required to effectively execute its constitutional mandate.