Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has urged political actors and security agencies to ensure that the 2027 general elections do not turn Nigeria into a war zone.

He stressed that Nigerians should be allowed to freely choose their leaders.

Similarly, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, advised Nigerians to vote to stay alive.

Onaiyekan spoke yesterday in Abuja when the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD)’s Council of the Wise, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, visited him as part of its advocacy engagements ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Cardinal also urged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, not to allow pressure to prevent him from conducting a credible election.

Recalling the Catholic bishops’ meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, where he was part of a delegation, Onaiyekan said the President had assured them that INEC was free to conduct the 2027 election.

He said that assurance had since been communicated to the INEC Chairman, urging him not to allow pressure to prevent him from doing his job.

“When we raised concerns about level-playing ground for political parties in the coming election, he said, no, INEC is free. So we have been telling Prof. Amupitan, the President says you are free. Don’t tie your own hand. Do the right thing. He is not going to put you under undue pressure to do the wrong thing. So everybody must be responsible for what they do”, he said.

The Cardinal said there should be no excuse for political actors or electoral officials who fail to abide by the rules governing the process, stressing that a credible election did not require extraordinary measures.

Onaiyekan stated: “Election is not rocket science. You don’t need Artificial intelligence (AI) to have a free and fair election. We have rules that are practical. Let them do that,” he said.

On the right of Nigerians to determine who governs them, Onaiyekan said citizens should be allowed to exercise their franchise without interference.

The National Peace Committee member said previous efforts to secure peaceful elections included the signing of peace accords by political actors, but observed that such agreements were meaningless if those who signed them subsequently failed to honour their commitments.

Earlier, Ariwoola said the Council of the Wise was reconstituted in June 2026 to continue its intervention and mediation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former CJN said the council was established against the background of Nigeria’s history of electoral violence and other practices capable of undermining democratic processes.

According to him, the council’s current engagement aimed to ensure that political actors and other stakeholders fulfilled their roles responsibly ahead of the 2027 elections.

He urged political parties and candidates to ensure that their campaigns were free of rancour, hate speech, inflammatory statements and other utterances capable of instigating violence.

Kukah, who was the guest speaker at the Fr. Dennis Slattery Memorial Lecture, Awards and Fundraising, said values and structure had been subjected to a system not prepared for, while concession is made for those prepared for.

Speaking on the topic, ‘To Conquer or to Serve’, he said: “We are more eloquent during campaigns as politicians, to be chairman of clubs, but not enthusiastic when it comes to our duty to our environment, helping the young.

“My argument is that some conquered with a sense of power without responsibility. This is a missionary school, and the focus should be on the spirit that brought the missionaries. The least we can do among ourselves is to be ready to serve. Service to nation and family is what drives every society.”

On what the youths can learn from Fr. Slattery, he said: “The temptation is for young people to cut corners, but what we try to do in an environment like the Catholic school is to teach young people that there is no substitute to discipline. It is legitimate to have achievements in life, but we must know that the most fundamental achievement we can make is to live in peace with oneself.”

As the 2027 elections inch closer, he urged the electorate to assess every public office seeker, in order not to make the wrong choice.

“The choice is yours as a Nigerian. We are not innocent as voters. Your duty is to assess anyone canvassing for your vote. We can blame INEC, the government and security agencies, but at end of the day, nobody is holding a gun to your head asking you to choose him or a particular candidate. Now the social media and the Internet are accessible. Go to the Internet to check me out, what I have achieved and have an idea about my background if I campaign to be your governor. So, we are not helpless.

“I encourage young people; please vote to stay alive; we are largely responsible for the nature of the choices we make because we are not as innocent as we think we are.”

Speaking on the subtitle, the Contribution of the Catholic Church to Human Development and making of a great Nigeria, he said: “Today, the Catholic church has more than 231 schools and 171 universities, educating 72 million across the world.