The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the European Union have raised concerns over growing threats to democratic freedoms ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that electoral violence, hate speech, political intimidation, arbitrary arrests and restrictions on civic activities could undermine citizens’ participation and public confidence in the electoral process.
The two institutions cautioned that attacks on civic and political spaces, including harassment of journalists, civil society organisations and human rights defenders, could weaken democratic institutions and discourage Nigerians from freely exercising their constitutional rights.
The warnings were issued at the third annual strategic engagement between the European Union and the NHRC on the state of human rights in Nigeria, held in Abuja, with discussions focusing on protecting civic and political spaces ahead of the January 16 presidential and National Assembly elections and the February 6 governorship and State Assembly polls.
The NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr Anthony Ojukwu, said democracy could not be sustained through elections alone but required an environment where citizens could freely express their opinions, assemble, associate and participate in political activities without fear or intimidation.
“Democracy does not survive on election alone. It survives in the space between elections, in the freedom of citizens to speak without fear, to assemble without panic, to associate without obstruction, and to choose their leaders without intimidation,” he said.
Ojukwu expressed concern that civil society organisations, journalists and human rights defenders continued to operate in difficult circumstances characterised by harassment, arbitrary arrests and alleged misuse of legal provisions, including the Cybercrime Act.
He also identified political intimidation, hate speech, incitement and prohibitive nomination fees as obstacles to inclusive political participation, particularly for women, young people and persons with disabilities.
The NHRC boss further criticised the apparent lack of accountability for electoral offences, warning that failure to sanction perpetrators could encourage further violations and weaken confidence in the electoral process.
“These are warning lights, not yet wrecks. They require us to correct the course now, and that is precisely why this forum needs to play its role,” he stated.
Similarly, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States, Gautier Mignot, warned that growing incidents of election-related violence, hate speech and political intimidation could erode public trust in democratic institutions and discourage citizens from participating in the forthcoming elections.
Mignot maintained that protecting civic freedoms was essential to ensuring that Nigerians could scrutinise political candidates, exchange information, debate public issues and hold public office holders accountable without fear of censorship or intimidation.
“This kind of tendency erodes the trust between citizens and state institutions, and desensitises citizens from participation in elections,” the ambassador said.
He identified freedom of expression, independent media, peaceful assembly and the activities of civil society organisations as critical safeguards for credible elections.
According to him, restricting these freedoms could create opportunities for electoral manipulation, suppression of opposing voices and interference with citizens’ democratic rights.
“Civic and political spaces such as open public forums, free media, peaceful assembly and civil society organisations are essential during elections because they guarantee that the electoral process is fair, transparent and truly reflective of the people’s will,” Mignot said.
The EU envoy clarified that the European Union’s involvement in Nigeria’s electoral process was not intended to interfere in the country’s domestic affairs but to strengthen the capacity of legitimate Nigerian institutions and stakeholders to discharge their responsibilities.
“Our objective is not to interfere in the elections but support the legitimate Nigerian stakeholders to fully play their roles in order to contribute to a free, fair and credible electoral process,” he stated.
He identified government institutions, political parties, the media and civil society organisations as key stakeholders whose collective commitment would determine the credibility of the 2027 elections.
Mignot also assured Nigerians that the EU and its member states would remain committed partners in promoting democracy, human rights and good governance, disclosing that another project with additional funding was being developed in partnership with the NHRC.
Responding to the challenges identified, Ojukwu disclosed that the Commission had established a comprehensive monitoring framework to track human rights developments and election-related violations throughout the electoral cycle.
He said the NHRC was finalising an advisory on protecting civic and political spaces and the right to participation in Nigeria’s forthcoming elections, describing the document as a major contribution to safeguarding democratic freedoms.
The Commission also plans to operate its Human Rights and Elections Situation Rooms round the clock throughout the election period, deploy monitors to identified hotspots and establish legal aid partnerships to assist victims of electoral rights violations.
It will also publish election-focused dashboards and periodic bulletins while strengthening collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, political parties, the National Peace Committee and civil society organisations.
The NHRC executive secretary recalled that the Commission had earlier issued advisories on protecting civic spaces and freedom of expression, particularly over concerns about the possible misuse of the Cybercrime Act to restrict citizens’ fundamental rights.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, describing them as essential pillars of democratic participation.
Ojukwu also commended the National Assembly for passing the NHRC Amendment Bill, expressing optimism that the proposed reform would strengthen the Commission’s protective mandate and improve the operating environment for human rights defenders.
He urged participants at the engagement to take ownership of the recommendations and roadmap emerging from the discussions, stressing that protecting democratic freedoms required sustained cooperation between government institutions and non-state actors.
The engagement, which was supported by the European Union, is the third in a series of annual strategic meetings between both institutions that began in 2024 to assess human rights conditions, strengthen collaboration and develop responses to emerging challenges.
Mignot said the EU would study the recommendations and roadmap from the latest engagement and share the outcome with its member states and relevant authorities.
Ojukwu, in his closing remarks, stressed that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend not only on activities at polling stations but also on efforts to protect citizens’ rights long before election day.
“May the election go without violence. It is because of the work done long before the polling day, work that is sometimes invisible to the public,” he said.
He added that Nigeria could not afford to fail in the forthcoming elections, urging all stakeholders to work towards peaceful, credible and inclusive polls.
