The Council of the Wise, an initiative of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, has intensified its advocacy for peaceful, free, fair and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The council urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to promote responsible political conduct among its candidates, officials and supporters.

The council, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, made the call during an advocacy visit to the APC National Working Committee in Abuja.

Ariwoola said political parties had a critical responsibility to ensure that their activities did not undermine electoral credibility or threaten national stability.

He urged APC leaders to ensure that the party’s candidates, officials and supporters complied with electoral laws, the party’s constitution and its code of conduct before, during and after the elections.

The former CJN warned against hate speech, inflammatory statements and other practices capable of provoking violence during campaigns, stressing that the conduct of political actors would significantly influence the atmosphere surrounding the 2027 polls.

He said Nigeria’s electoral history had been marked by political thuggery, vote-buying, ballot-box stuffing, hate speech and other forms of malpractice that had weakened public confidence in the electoral process.

Ariwoola cited the violence that followed the 2011 general elections, during which more than 1,000 people were reportedly killed, particularly in northern states, as a reminder of the devastating consequences of electoral disputes and poorly managed political contests.

He urged political leaders to learn from past experiences and work towards ensuring that disagreements over elections did not degenerate into violence.

The council was established by the Savannah Centre in 2014 with support from the MacArthur Foundation to engage political parties and other stakeholders in promoting peaceful elections and democratic development.

Ariwoola said the council had undertaken intervention and mediation efforts during previous election cycles, including those of 2015, 2019 and 2023, through engagements with political leaders and other stakeholders.

He disclosed that the council was reconstituted in June 2026 under his chairmanship to sustain its advocacy ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former CJN called on the APC leadership to demonstrate political leadership by ensuring that its structures at all levels upheld democratic principles and encouraged peaceful participation.

He urged Nigerians to turn out in large numbers to vote for candidates of their choice, saying credible elections remained essential to democratic consolidation, national unity and sustainable development.

Responding, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party was committed to peaceful elections and had taken steps to strengthen its internal structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He disclosed that the party recently held a three-day retreat in Maiduguri, Borno State, where its leaders reviewed elections it had lost, examined the reasons for the defeats and discussed ways to resolve internal grievances.

According to him, unresolved disagreements among party members had contributed to some electoral setbacks, prompting the leadership to focus on improving cohesion and addressing disputes within its ranks.

Yilwatda said the APC had also adopted a 14-pillar framework for assessing the preparedness of its state structures, with peaceful elections among the priorities.

He added that the party had directed its structures to report potential threats of electoral violence to security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before they escalated into crises.

The APC chairman challenged opposition parties to focus on policy debates and present their manifestos ahead of the elections rather than resort to personal attacks against President Bola Tinubu.

He said political parties should explain how they intended to address Nigeria’s challenges, particularly in economic development, security, infrastructure and other areas affecting citizens.

“If you have an opposition, place your roadmap. Place your plan before us. We have got to place our own work plan. What do we want to do for Nigeria?” Yilwatda asked.

He maintained that the APC was prepared to engage opposition parties in intellectual discussions on competing policy proposals, insisting that Nigerians deserved to assess political parties based on their programmes and plans.

Yilwatda also defended the administration’s development agenda, citing infrastructure projects, deep seaports, the coastal highway, gas infrastructure, electricity reforms and digital connectivity as initiatives intended to support economic growth.

He said national unity should take precedence over partisan interests, warning that political parties could not function effectively in a country destabilised by violence.

The Council of the Wise is expected to continue engaging political parties and other stakeholders as part of efforts to promote peaceful participation and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.