Senate Leader Calls for Peace Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has cautioned politicians against violence as the 2027 general elections approach. He said no Nigerian should lose their life because of political ambitions.

Bamidele made this statement on Wednesday through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs. This was to mark the 2026 Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

He urged Nigerians to embrace faith, obedience, and sacrifice as shown by Prophet Ibrahim. He pointed out that this season should be a time for reflecting on our nation and promoting peace.

He stressed that Nigeria must not face the same violence seen in past elections. “No Nigerian, whether old or young, deserves to die again because some people are seeking political offices by all means, whether justified or unjustified,” Bamidele said.

The Senate leader emphasized that political campaigns and the upcoming elections should follow the law and remain peaceful. “Regardless of our political parties, we must go into the campaign, indeed, the 2027 elections, with a definite resolve that Nigeria is our collective heritage; that our activities must be conducted according to the extant laws; and that no life will be lost as a result,” he stated.

He mentioned data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, showing that Nigeria lost 1,639 lives to electoral violence from 1999 to 2023.

“We must learn from our history still striped with the blood of the victims of electoral violence,” he added.