Savannah Centre Council of the Wise urges 2027 presidential candidates to avoid hate speech and violence

This appeal was made during an advocacy meeting in Abuja with Donald Duke, the Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate and former Cross River State Governor. The Council emphasized the importance of campaigns free from rancor and statements that could incite violence, urging candidates and their supporters to adhere to electoral laws and focus on issue-based discussions. Justice Ariwoola highlighted that Nigerian elections since 1999 have often been marred by violence and malpractice, citing the 2007 elections and the subsequent Electoral Reform Committee, whose recommendations were largely unimplemented.

He noted the significant loss of life in the aftermath of the 2011 elections. The Council of the Wise, established in 2014 with support from the MacArthur Foundation and reconstituted in June 2026, aims to promote peaceful and credible elections. Donald Duke, in response, assured the Council that he and his party would conduct themselves lawfully, avoiding violence or confrontation.

He expressed concern that Nigerian democracy has become a "do-or-die affair" due to politics being treated as an occupation rather than a vocation, advocating for a review of the democrat