The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has warned that insecurity, political intimidation and the suppression of opposing voices pose serious threats to Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The council said the activities of terrorists, insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other non-state actors had continued to undermine human rights, resulting in loss of lives, displacement of communities and widespread insecurity across the country.
IPAC, which represents registered political parties in Nigeria, maintained that democracy could not thrive in an atmosphere where citizens were intimidated, dissenting opinions suppressed and fundamental rights denied.
The council’s position was presented by its representative, the Director-General of IPAC, Prince Dr Chinedu Obi, at the 2026 Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders Forum on the State of Human Rights in Nigeria, organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja.
Speaking on the theme of protecting human rights and civic spaces ahead of the 2027 elections, Obi commended the NHRC for convening the engagement, describing it as timely given the security and political challenges confronting the country.
He stressed that protecting fundamental freedoms, preventing electoral violence and safeguarding citizens’ participation were essential to credible elections.
According to him, political competition must not become an excuse for violating the rights of citizens or restricting their participation in democratic activities.
“Democracy cannot thrive where citizens are intimidated, dissenting voices are silenced, political participation is restricted and fundamental human rights are denied,” he said.
The IPAC representative noted that the security challenges confronting Nigeria required urgent attention, warning that the activities of armed non-state actors continued to expose citizens to violations of their fundamental rights.
He urged political parties and other stakeholders to recognise that the protection of human rights was a collective responsibility that must be upheld irrespective of political affiliations.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has warned that Nigeria’s democratic foundations could be weakened if violations of citizens’ rights, particularly freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, were not urgently addressed ahead of the elections.
The Commission’s Executive Secretary, Dr Anthony Ojukwu, had stressed that Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution recognises sovereignty as belonging to the Nigerian people, while Sections 39 and 40 guarantee freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
He also referenced the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees citizens’ right to participate in the conduct of public affairs, including through freely chosen representatives.
Ojukwu said the Commission was concerned about the harassment of journalists, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, as well as arbitrary arrests and the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act to restrict freedom of expression.
He recalled that the NHRC issued an advisory on freedom of expression in April 2025, highlighting legal and human rights concerns surrounding the interpretation and possible misuse of the Cybercrimes Act.
The Commission also issued another advisory in May 2026 on promoting and protecting civic spaces and human rights, stressing that the recommendations remained particularly relevant as political activities intensified ahead of the elections.
Beyond its warnings, the NHRC disclosed that it was strengthening its human rights monitoring activities through a nationwide framework covering political developments and election-related violations.
Ojukwu revealed that the Commission’s human rights monitoring activities had recorded 338,810 complaints in its six-month report covering its 28 offices nationwide, although the figure and reporting period require confirmation against the original report.
He said the Commission had also completed 2,458 investigations and monitored 113 police stations, correctional centres and other places of detention as part of its efforts to address human rights violations.
The Commission further disclosed plans to operate its Human Rights and Elections Situation Rooms round the clock throughout the electoral period, deploy monitors to identified hotspots and establish legal aid partnerships for victims of electoral rights violations.
It is also working towards strengthening collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties, the National Peace Committee and civil society organisations to ensure early detection and response to violations.
The NHRC Executive Secretary also called for the establishment of a dedicated electoral affairs institution in line with recommendations of the Justice Mohammed Lawal-led reform committee, to strengthen accountability for electoral offences.
He commended the National Assembly for passing the NHRC Amendment Bill, expressing optimism that the proposed legislation would enhance the Commission’s protective mandate and provide stronger legal protection for human rights defenders.
The Commission maintained that safeguarding democratic participation required sustained action before, during and after elections, warning that the credibility of the 2027 polls would depend on more than the conduct of voting on election day.
