The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has enlisted the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, and the Lagos Traditional Council as partners in promoting peace and mobilising citizens ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the monarch at Iga Idunganran, Lagos Island, as part of the Commission’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session.
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Amupitan said traditional institutions had a crucial role to play in safeguarding peace and strengthening citizens’ participation in the electoral process.
“We are here today to formally enlist Your Royal Majesty and the Lagos Traditional Council as powerful partners in keeping the peace and safeguarding our democracy,” he said.
The INEC chairman stressed that elections should be viewed as civic exercises rather than contests characterised by violence and conflict.
According to him, while the Commission was deploying technology to improve the electoral process, technology alone could not guarantee a successful democracy without the cooperation of citizens and traditional institutions.
“Technology alone cannot build a democracy; people do,” Amupitan said, urging the monarch to use his influence to mobilise Lagos residents to participate actively in the electoral process.
He noted that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters was fast approaching 100 million, making the cooperation of traditional institutions essential to the successful management of elections across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Amupitan described traditional rulers as enduring anchors of society, whose influence transcends political administrations and electoral cycles.
“Political parties and electoral commissions come and go, but the traditional institution remains the permanent anchor of our communities,” he said.
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The INEC chairman also appealed to the Oba to counsel politicians to avoid divisive rhetoric as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
He urged political actors to focus on issues and policies rather than personalities and insults.
Amupitan formally requested the monarch’s royal blessings for INEC’s leadership, staff and ad-hoc personnel; his support in encouraging residents to complete voter registration and collect their Permanent Voter Cards; and continued advocacy for peace among community leaders, market associations, youth groups and political actors.
Responding, Oba Akiolu welcomed INEC’s appeal and called on politicians to abandon short-term patronage in favour of genuine engagement and capacity building.
The monarch urged politicians to make their campaigns issue-based and free from hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric.
“Politicians must move away from the culture of short-term patronage and focus on genuine capacity building — teaching our people how to fish rather than giving them fish,” he said.
Oba Akiolu also identified indiscipline among some youths as a national challenge, urging traditional rulers to guide their communities and encourage citizens to participate fully in the democratic process.
“As Royal Fathers, it is our solemn duty to guide our communities and inspire citizens to turn out in large numbers to exercise their democratic franchise,” he said.
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The monarch further charged the INEC chairman and National Commissioners to remain honest and steadfast in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to provide full and timely funding to enable the Commission to conduct the 2027 elections effectively.