National Peace Committee Reveals Pressure to Influence 2023 Presidential Election

National Peace Committee Reveals Pressure to Influence 2023 Presidential Election: Insists on Moral Intervention Mandate

The National Peace Committee (NPC) has revealed that it faced

immense pressure to influence the outcome of the 2023 Presidential Election,

which saw President Bola Tinubu emerge victorious. In its 106-page

report titled “Nigeria’s Pursuit of Electoral Compliance: National Peace Committee

NPC 2023 General Elections Report,” the committee disclosed that it

received numerous requests to either halt the collation of results or

cancel the election altogether.

The committee, led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar,

stated that some individuals and groups demanded that it prevail upon the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop collating

results due to alleged gross violations and non-compliance with the electoral act.

Others requested that the committee call for the cancellation of the election,

citing non-adherence to the tenets of the Peace Accord signed by political parties.

One of the most significant concerns raised was the issue of the 25%

threshold for Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Some analysts argued

that the president-elect did not meet the required threshold and

therefore should not have been declared the winner. Instead, they

suggested that a runoff election should be held.

The NPC report highlighted the challenges it faced in navigating these demands,

emphasizing that its mandate is limited to providing moral intervention

and promoting peace. The committee clarified that it has no

constitutional authority to interfere with the electoral process,

arrest violators, or prosecute wrongdoing. Rather, its role is to encourage,

persuade, and appeal to political actors and stakeholders to prioritize peace.

The report also noted that the NPC has continued to engage with

various stakeholders, including political parties, youth and

women-led groups, and security agencies, to promote peace and

stability in the post-election period. Despite facing criticism for its

perceived inaction, the NPC remains committed to its mandate, recognizing the importance of moral persuasion in promoting peaceful resolution of conflicts.