2027 Polls: INEC Enlists Traditional Rulers to as partners to Promote Peace, Citizen Participation

2027 Polls: INEC Enlists Traditional Rulers to as partners to Promote Peace, Citizen Participation

By Our Political Correspondent

Abuja (Core Reporters) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally enlisted the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, and the Lagos Traditional Council as partners in safeguarding peace and mobilising citizens ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

This formed the crux of remarks by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, (SAN) during a courtesy visit to the monarch at the Iga Idunganran, Lagos Island, on Tuesday 8th Septemeber,2026, to cap the Commission’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session.

“We are here today to formally enlist Your Royal Majesty and the Lagos Traditional Council as powerful partners in keeping the peace and safeguarding our democracy,” Prof. Amupitan said. “Elections are civic celebrations of free choice, not contests of conflict or violence.”

The INEC Chairman told the monarch that while the Commission was deploying technology to strengthen the electoral process, the cooperation of traditional institutions remained indispensable to its success.

“However, Your Majesty, technology alone cannot build a democracy; people do,” he said. “We humbly request your royal voice to help us mobilize the good people of Lagos. We want them to take ownership of the electoral process, to participate in the electoral process and in particular turn out in their numbers when the time comes. When a father speaks, his children listen.”

He noted that with Nigeria’s National Register of Voters fast approaching 100 million, managing the exercise across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory required, in his words, “not just technical readiness from INEC, but the total cooperation, peace, and moral support of our most revered traditional institutions.”

Prof. Amupitan described traditional rulers as the enduring anchors of society, whose influence outlasts the transient nature of politics. “Political parties and electoral commissions come and go, but the traditional institution remains the permanent anchor of our communities,” he said. “You are the true custodians of our culture, peace, and social cohesion.”

He specifically urged the monarch to use his position to caution the political class against divisive conduct as campaigns intensify. “We urge you, as a father to all politicians regardless of their party affiliations, to counsel them to focus on issues rather than insults. Let them debate policies, not personalities,” he said.

The INEC Chairman formally placed three requests before the monarch: royal blessings for the Commission’s leadership, staff and ad-hoc personnel to be deployed nationwide; the use of the throne’s moral authority to encourage residents to complete voter registration and collect their Permanent Voter Cards; and continued advocacy by the monarch for peace among community leaders, market associations, youth groups and political actors.

Responding, Oba Akiolu embraced the Commission’s appeal, urging politicians to abandon short-term patronage in favour of genuine engagement with citizens. “Politicians must move away from the culture of short-term patronage and focus on genuine capacity building — teaching our people how to fish rather than giving them fish,” the monarch said. “Campaigning must remain strictly issue-based, free from hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric.”

He identified indiscipline among a segment of the youth population as a national challenge and charged traditional rulers with the responsibility of steering citizens toward civic participation. “As Royal Fathers, it is our solemn duty to guide our communities and inspire citizens to turn out in large numbers to exercise their democratic franchise,” he said.

The monarch also charged the INEC leadership to remain steadfast in its constitutional duties. “I appeal to the Chairman and National Commissioners to remain unwavering, honest, and steadfast in your sacred trust,” he said, adding a call on the Federal Government “to ensure full and timely funding for elections, equipping INEC with every resource required to execute its constitutional mandate flawlessly.”