Bamidele Urges Peaceful 2027 Campaigns, Warns Politicians Against Hate Speech and Violence

Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele has called on political parties and candidates preparing for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections to avoid inflammatory rhetoric, hate speech and actions capable of threatening public peace.
Bamidele made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1.
The Ekiti senator, who also chairs the South-West Caucus in the National Assembly, said politicians have the right to campaign and pursue elective office but argued that those rights must be exercised within Nigeria’s laws. Punch Newspapers
He specifically urged parties and their candidates to conduct their campaigns in line with the Electoral Act 2026 and the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
According to Bamidele, political competition should remain orderly and should not be allowed to develop into rhetoric or behaviour capable of provoking unrest before, during or after the elections.
He warned particularly about comments that could deepen ethnic or religious divisions in a country with a history of politically charged tensions.
Bamidele said political aspirations should be pursued with restraint, patriotism and respect for democratic rules rather than through intimidation or violence.
“No ambition is worth setting the nation ablaze,” he said while calling on politicians to place the country’s stability above individual or party interests. The Guardian Nigeria
Campaigns should remain within the law
The Senate Leader said political rights do not provide a licence for candidates or their supporters to engage in hate speech or make inflammatory statements capable of undermining peaceful elections.
He argued that election campaigns should focus on persuading voters and presenting competing ideas for Nigeria’s future rather than exploiting religious, ethnic or regional divisions.
Bamidele also said political parties should ensure that the programmes and policies they present to voters reflect the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.
His remarks come as political parties increase preparations for the 2027 elections and candidates begin placing greater emphasis on campaigns, alliances and policy programmes.
The election period has also renewed discussion about political violence, intimidation and the responsibility of politicians to control the conduct of their supporters.
Nigeria’s unity takes priority, Bamidele says
Bamidele framed his warning around the country’s Independence Day celebrations, saying Nigeria’s political leaders have a responsibility to preserve the nation’s unity while competing for power.
He described Nigeria as a collective national inheritance that should not be placed at risk because of the ambitions of any candidate or political party.
The senator also linked peaceful campaigning to the democratic aspirations of Nigeria’s founding generation, saying political competition should strengthen rather than weaken national institutions.
His comments were part of a wider set of Independence Day messages from senior political figures calling for peaceful politics and national unity.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan also issued anniversary messages emphasising unity, democratic values and national development. TheCable
Former President Goodluck Jonathan separately said the coming electoral period would test Nigeria’s democratic maturity and called for responsible leadership, accountability and respect for the rule of law. The Guardian Nigeria
A recurring concern ahead of 2027
Bamidele has raised similar concerns about electoral violence before.
In May 2026, he warned that Nigerians should not lose their lives because individuals were determined to obtain political office, again calling on political actors to avoid violence ahead of the elections. Independent Newspaper Nigeria
His latest intervention places additional emphasis on political communication itself — particularly language that could encourage hostility between communities or supporters of rival candidates.
As the 2027 campaign season develops, political parties are expected to compete across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Bamidele’s position is that those campaigns should remain within the constitutional and electoral framework regardless of how intense the competition becomes.
For the Senate Leader, the central message is that winning political power should not come at the cost of national peace.