The National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has disclosed that it came under significant pressure to intervene in the 2023 presidential election, with demands to either halt the collation of results or cancel the election entirely. These revelations are part of the NPC’s 106-page report titled “Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: National Peace Committee NPC 2023 General Elections Report,” which was presented in Abuja on Friday.
The report highlights the intense pressure the NPC faced during the election, with various individuals and groups urging the committee to persuade the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take drastic measures, citing alleged violations of the Electoral Act and non-adherence to the peace accord signed by political parties and their candidates.
The NPC report provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges encountered during the election process and offers recommendations for improving future electoral procedures in Nigeria. It underscores the partisan efforts to influence the election outcome, emphasizing that these pressures were aimed at compelling the NPC to act beyond its moral mandate, which is focused on promoting peace, preventing violence, and encouraging respect for the rule of law.
One of the major points of contention during the election was the controversy surrounding the 25 percent threshold for votes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with some analysts arguing that the election results should not have been announced and that a runoff was necessary. The NPC report noted that the committee was inundated with calls and petitions related to this issue but clarified that its role is limited to moral intervention, not legal or constitutional enforcement.
The report also addressed criticism regarding the NPC’s silence after the election and clarified that the committee’s mandate is to provide moral guidance, not to interfere in the constitutional duties of INEC or to arrest and prosecute violators. The NPC’s interventions are aimed at fostering peace and stability, particularly in a context where trust in institutions is low and impunity is widespread.
Despite these challenges, the NPC continues to engage with various stakeholders, including political parties, security agencies, and traditional and religious leaders, to promote peace and prevent violence in the aftermath of the elections.
