Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has warned political actors and security agencies against actions that could turn the 2027 general elections into a war zone, insisting that Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders.
Onaiyekan gave the warning on Monday in Abuja when the Council of the Wise of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, visited him as part of its advocacy ahead of the elections.
The Cardinal also challenged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to resist pressure and conduct the 2027 elections according to the law.
Onaiyekan said President Bola Tinubu had assured Catholic bishops during a meeting at the State House that INEC was free to conduct the election.
He urged Amupitan to act on that assurance and ensure that electoral officials do not compromise the process.
“When we raised concerns about level-playing ground for political parties in the coming election, he said, no, INEC is free. So we have been telling Prof. Amupitan, the President says you are free. Don’t tie your own hand. Do the right thing,” Onaiyekan said.
The Cardinal said political actors and electoral officials should have no excuse for violating the rules, stressing that conducting a credible election did not require extraordinary measures.
“Election is not rocket science. You don’t need Artificial intelligence (AI) to have a free and fair election. We have rules that are practical. Let them do that,” he said.
Onaiyekan also warned that peace agreements signed by political actors would mean little if those who signed them refused to honour their commitments.
He said Nigerians must be allowed to exercise their franchise without intimidation or interference.
Also speaking on the 2027 elections, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to take responsibility for the choices they make at the polls.
Kukah said voters should scrutinise candidates and examine their records before deciding who to support.
He argued that Nigerians could no longer claim helplessness because information about candidates and their backgrounds was increasingly accessible through the Internet and social media.
“The choice is yours as a Nigerian. We are not innocent as voters. Your duty is to assess anyone canvassing for your vote,” Kukah said.
He urged young Nigerians to make choices that would protect their future.
“I encourage young people; please vote to stay alive,” he said.
Earlier, Ariwoola said the Council of the Wise was reconstituted in June 2026 to deepen its mediation and intervention efforts ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said the council was established against the background of Nigeria’s history of electoral violence and other practices capable of undermining democratic processes.
Ariwoola urged political parties and candidates to conduct campaigns without rancour, hate speech or inflammatory statements capable of provoking violence.
The interventions came as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify, with political parties, electoral officials, civil society groups and other stakeholders stepping up engagements ahead of the polls.