BY AHMED AKANBI
Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged political parties and their candidates to conduct their campaigns for the 2027 general elections in a peaceful, orderly and lawful manner.
Bamidele, who also chairs the South West Caucus in the National Assembly, made the call on Thursday in his message to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
In the statement by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, he said all campaign activities must comply strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
According to him, peaceful campaigns reflect the vision of the nation’s founding fathers to build a united, democratic and prosperous federation that remains the voice of Black people globally.
Bamidele said while every political aspiration is legitimate and every actor has the right to canvass for votes, such rights must be exercised with decorum, patriotism and restraint, and not degenerate into hate speech or inflammatory rhetoric capable of igniting unrest.
He warned that no ambition should set the country on fire.
”While every aspiration is legitimate in a democracy, it should be pursued with decorum, patriotism and utmost restraint. No ambition is worth setting the nation ablaze.
”As we mark our 66th anniversary of political freedom and prepare for the 2027 elections, political parties and their candidates must conduct their activities within the ambit of the law. This is consistent with the vision of our founding fathers.
”This vision must not be sacrificed on the altar of pedestrian politics. Nigeria is our collective heritage. She is greater than the political ambition of any party or candidate. Our activities must be conducted to preserve our collective heritage and not destroy what we have sustainably built,” Bamidele said.
He urged political actors to ensure their manifestos and campaign promises align with the aspirations of the founding fathers and the collective interest of Nigerians, and to shun divisive and incendiary comments capable of undermining national unity before, during and after the polls.