‘No One Should Be Called Excellency If They Are Not Excellent,’ Says Obi as Tinubu, Others Sign 2027 Peace Pact

…President Obi, other presidential candidates vow to reject violence, hate and misinformation ahead of 2027 polls

By Shaagee Orkula
Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has challenged politicians seeking elective office to demonstrate by their conduct that they are worthy of the offices they aspire to occupy, declaring that “no one should be called ‘Excellency’ if they are not excellent.”

Obi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday shortly after presidential candidates and representatives of major political parties signed the 2027 General Elections Peace Accord, organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The accord commits political parties and candidates to peaceful campaigns and elections while discouraging violence, hate speech, incitement, misinformation and other actions capable of threatening national cohesion.

Speaking to journalists, Obi said the signing of agreements alone would not guarantee peaceful elections, arguing that the personal conduct and character of candidates must reflect the offices they seek.

“We don’t even need to sign this. We are seeking an office where we should be exemplary.”

“You can’t answer ‘His Excellency’ without being an excellent person. The process that will make you answer ‘Excellency’ should be excellent, and the only way to do it is to conduct yourself properly,” he said.

Obi urged political candidates to make the 2027 campaign a contest of ideas, policies, and programmes capable of addressing the hardship and other challenges confronting Nigerians.

“We must, for the sake of this country, ensure that our conduct and behaviour reflect the office we’re seeking.

“That we do the right things and campaign on issues that Nigerians are going through today,” he said.

He expressed concern over deaths recorded during previous elections, including the recent Osun governorship election, saying political ambition should never be allowed to cost Nigerians their lives.

“Let us not forget those who died in ensuring that the election in Osun was achieved.

“We should visit them, condole their families, and remain prayerful and conduct ourselves in a way that in our democracy will be mentioned for good. Nobody needs to die for an election. It shouldn’t be. It is painful, and I wish it never happens again,” Obi said.

Asked whether violators of the peace accord should face sanctions under a proposed “justice accord”, Obi said the ultimate sanction should come from the electorate.

According to him, Nigerians should deny candidates who violate the principles of peaceful and responsible political conduct their votes.

“The punishment is that Nigerians should not vote for them,” he said.

Obi said his principal concern about the 2027 election was not personal safety or political competition but whether Nigerians would be able to freely exercise their franchise and have their votes count.

“I don’t have any fear, except to say that please, for the sake of the children of Nigeria, can we have an election where people’s votes will count?” he pleaded.

He said his decision to continue participating in the electoral process was driven by his determination to reform it.

“Because I want to change the process, I have to go through it, so I have to believe in it,” Obi said.

President Bola Tinubu, represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, similarly urged political actors to make the 2027 elections a contest of ideas rather than ethnicity, religion, violence, or other divisive sentiments.

Tinubu said political disagreements and competing visions for governing Nigeria were legitimate aspects of democracy but warned that electoral contests must never threaten national unity.

“In the spirit of the accord we have just signed, we must conduct ourselves in ways that strengthen, not tear, the fabric of our society,” he said.

The President urged candidates and parties to campaign on policies capable of improving the lives of Nigerians and advancing national development.

“Let us campaign on superior ideas. Let us debate issues and promote the best policies to expand opportunities for our people and accelerate Nigeria’s journey from a developing nation to a first-world country,” he said.

Tinubu pledged the commitment of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the peace accord, saying the ruling party rejected violence, hate speech, misinformation, including AI-generated misinformation, and incitement, particularly through social media.

“Our party rejects violence, hate speech, the spread of misinformation, including through artificial intelligence, and all forms of incitement, especially via social media,” he said.

He called on other political parties and candidates to make similar commitments, stressing that elections should not be treated as a do-or-die affair.

“Let us remember that elections are not a do-or-die affair. We are partners in the project of nation-building. Win or lose, our country, Nigeria, must be the ultimate winner,” Tinubu said.

The President also urged civil society organisations, development partners, the media and citizens to support efforts to strengthen civic engagement, good governance and public confidence in democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 polls.

He commended the National Peace Committee, particularly General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for promoting peaceful and issue-based electoral campaigns since 2014.

Tinubu also cited technological improvements in Nigeria’s electoral process, including the Permanent Voter Card and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, as measures that have helped reduce electoral manipulation and enhance confidence in elections.

He said the conduct of recent off-cycle governorship elections demonstrated that transparent electoral processes could reduce post-election disputes and contribute to democratic consolidation.

The peace accord signing brought together presidential candidates and representatives of political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, with participants committing themselves to peaceful campaigns and the preservation of Nigeria’s unity before, during and after the polls.