The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, CP Abimbola Olugbenga, has warned political leaders and their supporters against inflammatory statements capable of triggering violence during the electioneering period.
Olugbenga gave the warning in his remarks on Tuesday, September 8, at a symposium on peaceful electoral conduct in Oyo State, themed “Beyond Political Rhetoric: From Campaign to the Ballot – Promoting Peaceful Electoral Conduct in Oyo State, and held at the police command headquarters at Eleyele in Ibadan.
The Commissioner of Police said violence often begins with provocative words, false allegations and reckless statements before escalating into physical clashes.
He urged political leaders to recognise the influence of their words, particularly on youths who actively participate in political activities.
He appealed to political actors to focus their campaigns on policies, programmes, competence and records, rather than personal attacks or issues capable of provoking anger.
CP Abimbola also cautioned against exploiting ethnic and religious sentiments, stressing that no political ambition is worth threatening the peaceful coexistence of the people of Oyo State.
The CP reminded political party leaders of their responsibility to properly guide and control their supporters, urging them to reject hate speech, threats, deliberate falsehood and other forms of inflammatory rhetoric.
He said the ballot, rather than violence, must determine the choice of the people.
He reaffirmed the Police Command’s commitment to neutrality, professionalism and equal protection for all political parties and citizens, but warned that acts or utterances deliberately designed to cause violence would not be tolerated.
He urged stakeholders to promote peace before, during and after the election, stressing that political campaigns should unite the people rather than divide them.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Ekanem Usen, who spoke on the objectives and expectations of the symposium, charged political parties, candidates and supporters on prioritising peace and lawful conduct throughout the electoral process.
DCP Usen said that peaceful elections require cooperation among the Police, INEC, political actors and the electorate, enjoining stakeholders to avoid incitement and violence, resolve grievances through lawful channels and work together to identify and prevent potential security threats before they escalate.
The DCP reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and adequate security deployment, stressing that the ultimate goal is for Oyo State to remain peaceful, united and secure regardless of the election outcome.
In his speech at the symposium, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State, Prof. Adeniran Rahmon Tella, urged political parties and their candidates in Oyo State to shun inflammatory rhetoric and ensure peaceful campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Prof. Tella, represented by the Head of Publicity Unit, Mr Olayiwola Awolowo, said that the 2027 election campaigns must be treated as a contest of ideas and manifestos rather than a battle, warning that political passion must not degenerate into violence.
He disclosed that campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections began on August 19, 2026, and will end on January 15, 2027, with the elections scheduled for January 16.
He added that governorship and State House of Assembly campaigns would commence on September 9 and end on February 5, ahead of the February 6, 2027 elections.
The REC urged political parties to commit to a pact for peace, issue-based campaigns and the use of the courts to resolve electoral disputes.
He warned that under the Electoral Act 2026, individuals found guilty of certain campaign offences could face up to 12 months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to N5 million, while non-compliant political parties could be fined N10 million for a first offence.
He also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies and other stakeholders to support efforts to ensure peaceful, credible and violence-free elections in Oyo State.
The symposium was attended by the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), senior officers from security agencies such as the Nigerian Army, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service, members of different political parties in the state and the official platform and umbrella association for all registered political parties in Nigeria, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).