The National Peace Committee (NPC), led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has disclosed the intense pressure it faced from partisan forces during the 2023 presidential election, with demands to intervene in the electoral process. The revelations came during the public presentation of the NPC’s 106-page report on the elections, titled *Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: National Peace Committee NPC 2023 General Elections Report*.
According to the NPC, partisans and other elements exerted pressure on the committee to either halt the collation of election results or cancel the election altogether. The report highlighted that as the election day progressed, the NPC was inundated with phone calls, petitions, and requests for intervention, particularly over alleged violations of the electoral process.
General Abubakar detailed how the committee’s leaders, including Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Fr. Atta Barkindo, were overwhelmed with calls urging them to persuade the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop the collation of results. Some demanded that the NPC call for the cancellation of the election due to perceived non-compliance with the electoral act and the Peace Accord.
A significant point of contention was the 25% threshold required for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with analysts and advocacy groups urging the NPC to ensure that this criterion was met before announcing the final results. The Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy criticized the NPC’s silence during this critical period, despite the potential for widespread violence.
The NPC clarified its role, stating that its interventions are purely moral, focusing on promoting peace and preventing violence. The committee emphasized that it has no constitutional authority to interfere with INEC’s duties or to arrest or prosecute any individual. Instead, the NPC’s mandate is to mediate, encourage, and persuade stakeholders to uphold the rule of law and maintain peace.
The report also noted that the NPC continued its engagements with political parties, youth and women groups, security agencies, traditional rulers, and religious leaders after the presidential election, stressing the importance of peace and compliance with the law.
The NPC’s disclosures underscore the challenges faced during the 2023 elections and the ongoing need for robust mechanisms to ensure electoral integrity and prevent violence in future elections.
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