The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has enlisted the support of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, and the Lagos Traditional Council for the 2027 general elections.
INEC wants the traditional institution to help promote peace, increase voter participation and encourage residents to take a greater interest in the electoral process.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to Oba Akiolu at the Iga Idunganran Palace in Lagos Island.
The visit formed part of the activities marking the conclusion of the commission’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session.
Amupitan said the engagement with the Lagos traditional institution was necessary because preparations for the 2027 elections could not be left to INEC alone.
He formally asked the monarch and the Lagos Traditional Council to work with the commission in protecting the peace before, during and after the elections.
“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 also stressed that elections should not become a source of violence or division among Nigerians.
“Elections are civic celebrations of free choice, not contests of conflict or violence.”
According to him, the commission is improving the electoral process through technology, but technology cannot replace the role of citizens and community institutions.
He urged Oba Akiolu to use his influence to encourage eligible residents to participate fully in the elections.
“Technology alone cannot build a democracy; people do,” he said.
Amupitan further appealed to the monarch to mobilise Lagos residents to take ownership of the electoral process, complete their voter registration where necessary and collect their Permanent Voter Cards.
He said strong voter participation would be important to the credibility of the 2027 elections, particularly as the number of registered voters continues to grow.
The INEC chairman said Nigeria’s National Register of Voters was approaching 100 million.
He noted that organising elections across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory required more than the commission’s technical preparations.
He said INEC would also need the cooperation of traditional rulers and other influential institutions across the country.
“not just technical readiness from INEC, but the total cooperation, peace, and moral support of our most revered traditional institutions.”
Amupitan described traditional rulers as permanent figures in their communities whose influence often extends beyond political parties and election cycles.
“Political parties and electoral commissions come and go, but the traditional institution remains the permanent anchor of our communities,” he said.
He said traditional rulers could play an important role in preventing political disagreements from turning into violence.
The INEC chairman specifically asked Oba Akiolu to speak to politicians across party lines as political activities increase ahead of the elections.
He urged the monarch to encourage political actors to concentrate on their plans and policies rather than attacking one another.
“We urge you, as a father to all politicians regardless of their party affiliations, to counsel them to focus on issues rather than insults. Let them debate policies, not personalities,” he said.
Amupitan made three major requests during the meeting.
First, he sought the royal blessing and support of the monarch for INEC officials, staff and ad-hoc personnel who will be deployed for election duties.
Second, he asked the traditional institution to use its influence to encourage residents to register to vote and collect their PVCs.
The commission also wants traditional rulers to continue promoting peace among community leaders, market associations, youth organisations and political actors.
The commission has repeatedly maintained that the success of the elections will depend on cooperation among government institutions, political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, traditional institutions and voters.
Oba Akiolu, in his response, welcomed the request from INEC and called for a different approach to political campaigns ahead of the elections.
The monarch urged politicians to focus on empowering citizens instead of relying on temporary political patronage.
“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.
He also warned against the use of hate speech and inflammatory statements during campaigns.
“Campaigning must remain strictly issue-based, free from hate speech and inflammatory rhetoric.”
The monarch said political candidates should be judged by the programmes and policies they intend to offer rather than their ability to attack opponents.
He also expressed concern over indiscipline among some young Nigerians and said traditional rulers have an important role to play in guiding people in their communities.
Oba Akiolu urged royal fathers to encourage citizens, especially young people, to participate responsibly in elections.
“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.
The monarch also appealed to INEC leadership to remain committed to its constitutional responsibility.
He urged Amupitan and the National Commissioners to maintain integrity and remain impartial throughout the electoral process.
“I appeal to the Chairman and National Commissioners to remain unwavering, honest, and steadfast in your sacred trust,” he said.
Akiolu further called on the Federal Government to provide adequate funding for the commission.
According to him, INEC must have access to the financial and logistical resources required to organise credible elections across the country.
He therefore urged the government “to ensure full and timely funding for elections, equipping INEC with every resource required to execute its constitutional mandate flawlessly.”