2027 Elections: NILDS DG Urges Politicians to Avoid Rhetoric That Could ‘Set Nigeria on Fire’

Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), has called on politicians to exercise restraint in their words and actions ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning against conduct that could trigger tension and threaten national unity.

Sulaiman made the call on Sunday in Abuja during an appearance on the Newsmen Personality Interview Series.

According to him, political parties and their candidates should run issue-based campaigns and promote an inclusive political culture rather than engage in divisive rhetoric or vulgar statements.

He disclosed that NILDS was finalising arrangements for a political communication summit ahead of the 2027 elections to address issues surrounding political communication, including campaign messages and public statements.

“As electioneering activities gather momentum for the 2027 general elections, NILDS is finalising plans to convoke a political communication summit to address the issues of political communications, including utterances and campaigns,” he said.

“Our appeal is that our campaign utterances should be issue-based. We should avoid vulgar statements. We should avoid statements that could set the country on fire.

“Our appeal to our politicians is that we should not be under any illusion that everything is okay. We should protect this democracy through our conduct, through our political culture.”

Sulaiman further urged political actors to ensure that young people, women and vulnerable members of society are adequately represented in the political process.

“We should play politics of inclusivity. The youth must be involved; our women must be involved; people that are vulnerable must be involved,” he said.

He also warned politicians against actions or statements that could threaten Nigeria’s unity.

“Our politicians should guide their conduct, especially their actions and their utterances. Anything that would threaten the monolithic entity of this country must be avoided.

“We should not push some actors to the wall for them to react. We should guide democracy jealously, and that’s my advice to politicians.”

The NILDS director-general acknowledged that Nigeria’s democracy has shortcomings but argued that it remains preferable to military rule.

“The country is evolving; our democracy is evolving and it’s better for all of us to keep on disagreeing than for us to take recourse to the military.

“However bad democracy is, it’s still better than the best of the military,” he stated.

Sulaiman also called on Nigerians to maintain confidence in the country, saying its challenges could be addressed through better management of its human and natural resources.

“That is why they say Nigerians have what you call the manifest destiny, not only to lead ourselves as Nigeria, but to lead the entire continent. At the proper time, we shall get it right,” he said.

He advocated dialogue, compromise and understanding as ways of resolving the country’s challenges instead of resorting to military intervention.

“Let’s face it through dialogue; let’s face it through concession; let’s face it through understanding; not to say we have to go back to the military.

“`I still have hope in this country, and my appeal to all of us is that we should try to keep that hope alive. We can still get it right and we shall get it right some day,’’ he said.

Sulaiman reaffirmed his belief in a better Nigeria, saying his optimism remained rooted in his faith.

“My optimism is in God, and God will never abandon us, nor will He abandon our leaders. Let’s keep hope alive,” he said.

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