The Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Kogi State, has called on political parties, candidates, supporters and voters to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming elections, warning against turning electoral contests into a “do or die” affair.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Idris Miliki Abdul, made the call in a statement issued in Lokoja yesterday to mark the International Day of Peace.
Abdul urged Nigerians to use the occasion to renew their commitment to peace, particularly as the country approaches a series of elections, including the Kogi State local government election scheduled for October 17, 2026, and the 2027 general elections.
He noted that the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
The CHRCR boss said election was a process rather than a one-day event, urging political actors and their supporters to understand that electoral contests should not be treated as a matter of life and death.
He particularly appealed to Nigerian youths not to allow themselves to be used as agents of destruction, stressing that young people could become leaders both today and in the future.
Abdul also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly its Kogi State office in preparation for the local government election and the commission at the national level ahead of the 2027 polls, to put necessary mechanisms in place to create an atmosphere conducive to peaceful elections.
He urged security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force, to conduct comprehensive mapping of electoral flashpoints and trigger zones to facilitate effective collaboration among relevant stakeholders and enable early response to potential threats.
The organisation further appealed to international development partners to support credible civil society organisations working to educate and engage citizens on peaceful participation in the electoral process.
“As the 2027 elections in Nigeria take shape, we must all know and understand that it must be ballots and not bullets,” Abdul said, wishing Nigerians a peaceful International Day of Peace.