The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have reaffirmed their commitment to neutrality, professionalism and respect for human rights in the conduct of the 2027 General Elections.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, gave the assurance on Thursday at a seminar titled “The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria Personnel in Conducting Free, Fair and Credible Elections: The 2027 General Elections in Perspective,” organised by the Defence Headquarters’ Department of Operations in Abuja.
Represented by the Chief of Training at Defence Headquarters, Rear Adm. Abolade Ogunleye, the CDS said the seminar was timely in view of the nation’s prevailing security challenges and the need to create a peaceful atmosphere for the successful conduct of the 2027 polls.
Oluyede noted that the Constitution empowers the Armed Forces to suppress insurrection and provide support to civil authorities whenever required, stressing that military personnel must remain impartial during the electoral process.
“As we approach the election period, it is imperative that personnel are constantly reminded of their roles to ensure strict neutrality, professionalism and adherence to international human rights provisions,” he said.
He explained that the seminar was designed to equip commanders and staff officers with a clear understanding of their responsibilities while reinforcing compliance with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Operation Safe Conduct 2027.
The Defence Chief cited the military’s performance during recent off-cycle and by-elections in Ekiti, Kano, Kogi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu and Ondo states, saying the professionalism displayed by troops contributed to peaceful and incident-free elections.
He urged participants to apply lessons from previous electoral operations to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, improve rapid response capabilities and ensure the protection of law-abiding citizens without compromising the military’s apolitical stance.
Oluyede also commended President Bola Tinubu for his continued support and strategic leadership of the Armed Forces.
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Speaking at the seminar, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, represented by the Commission’s Director of Legal Services, Al-Hassan Umar, described security as a critical pillar of credible elections.
He explained that while INEC is constitutionally responsible for conducting elections, the Nigeria Police Force remains the lead agency for election security under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
According to him, the Armed Forces play only a supportive and exceptional role, providing assistance to civil authorities strictly in accordance with the law.
He noted that election security now extends beyond physical violence to include insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, cyber threats, misinformation and disinformation.
“Election security today extends beyond conventional acts of violence. We are confronted by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, cyber-enabled interference, misinformation and disinformation,” he said.
Umar identified five key priorities for securing the 2027 elections: continuous joint planning, enhanced election-specific training, improved intelligence sharing, strict adherence to the code of conduct and unwavering professionalism and neutrality.
He also reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting inclusive elections, with adequate consideration for persons with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups.
“The credibility of the 2027 General Elections will depend not only on the efficiency of electoral administration but equally on the professionalism, neutrality and constitutional fidelity of every institution entrusted with responsibilities in the electoral process,” he said.
He stressed that INEC remained impartial, insisting that the Commission has no preferred candidate or political party.
“Our allegiance is solely to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the will of the Nigerian people,” he added.
Umar commended the Armed Forces for their patriotism and pledged continued collaboration between INEC and the military to ensure peaceful, credible and inclusive elections across the country.
(NAN)
