The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a Democratic Freedoms Compact to safeguard fundamental human rights, protect civic space and strengthen public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The proposed framework seeks to guarantee freedom of expression, association and political participation, promote inclusiveness, ensure electoral transparency and accountability, and prevent violence, intimidation and other human rights violations throughout the electoral process.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, unveiled the proposal in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Dr Hassan Umar at the 2026 Civil Society and Human Rights Defenders Forum on the State of Human Rights in Abuja on Wednesday.
The forum, organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the European Union (EU), was themed, “Protecting Human Rights in Civic and Political Spaces in the 2027 Elections.”
Amupitan said the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend not only on the conduct of voting and collation of results but also on whether Nigerians could freely express their opinions, associate, campaign and participate in the political process without fear, discrimination or violence.
He stressed that regular elections alone could not sustain democracy where citizens were denied the freedom to express dissenting views, organise, criticise government policies and hold public institutions accountable.
According to him, the proposed compact would establish a framework for institutional conduct based on six commitments: protection of fundamental freedoms, inclusive participation, transparent elections, accountability for human rights violations, peaceful political competition and constructive engagement among stakeholders.
He called for stronger collaboration among INEC, the NHRC, security agencies, civil society organisations and the media to monitor, document and respond to violations before, during and after the elections.
On electronic transmission of election results, the INEC chairman maintained that the Electoral Act 2026 provided for the process, adding that the commission had developed guidelines to address potential technical and communication challenges.
He urged political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to familiarise themselves with the guidelines to avoid misinterpretation of the procedures.
Amupitan also charged security agencies with protecting voters, candidates, election officials, observers and journalists, insisting that security personnel must discharge their responsibilities professionally and impartially.
Earlier, NHRC Executive Secretary, Chief Anthony Ojukwu, warned that Nigeria’s democratic space was facing mounting challenges requiring urgent intervention ahead of the 2027 elections.
He identified political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, hate speech, restrictions on civic participation and the exclusion of vulnerable groups as major threats to electoral credibility.
Ojukwu said the presidential and National Assembly elections were scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections would follow on February 6.
He noted that the growing momentum of political campaigns made the protection of civic and political freedoms increasingly urgent.
According to him, democracy goes beyond periodic elections to include citizens’ freedom to speak without fear, assemble peacefully, associate without obstruction and choose their leaders without intimidation.
Citing Sections 14, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, he said sovereignty belonged to the Nigerian people, while the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
He also referenced the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees citizens the right to participate freely in the governance of their country.
The NHRC boss expressed concern over the increasingly difficult operating environment for civil society organisations, journalists and human rights defenders, citing harassment, arbitrary arrests and the potential misuse of laws, including provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.
He further raised concerns about voter intimidation, exclusionary nomination fees that could discourage women, young people and persons with disabilities from contesting elections, hate speech and the apparent lack of accountability for electoral offences.
Ojukwu warned that failure to prosecute electoral offenders could encourage impunity and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
To address the challenges, he disclosed that the commission had established a human rights monitoring framework comprising a Human Rights Situation Dashboard, a human rights advisory and an Election Situation Room.
The mechanisms are designed to monitor political intimidation, suppression of participation, harassment of journalists and other election-related violations.
He added that the commission was finalising an advisory on protecting political space and the right to participation in Nigeria, building on its February 2025 advisory on freedom of expression and concerns over the interpretation and possible misuse of the Cybercrimes Act.
Ojukwu said the NHRC was documenting violations, preparing cases for investigation and engaging INEC, security agencies, the National Peace Committee and other institutions to strengthen accountability.
He assured that the commission’s Election Situation Room would remain operational throughout the electoral period, with regular publication of election-focused dashboards and bulletins.
The NHRC also plans to deploy monitors to identified hotspots and establish legal aid partnerships to respond to violations during and after the elections.
Ojukwu announced that the forum would become a structured platform for sustained engagement with civil society organisations through quarterly meetings, early-warning information sharing and rapid-response mechanisms.
He urged civil society organisations and human rights defenders to take ownership of the proposed framework, describing them as essential partners in defending democracy.
Also speaking, the EU Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic institutions and protecting civic and political freedoms ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mignot described the forum as timely, particularly amid reports of election-related violence, hate speech, political intimidation and restrictions on fundamental rights.
He warned that such developments could erode public trust in state institutions and discourage citizens from participating in elections.
The ambassador said independent media, peaceful assemblies, public forums and civil society organisations were essential to credible, transparent and inclusive elections because they enabled citizens to access information, scrutinise candidates and hold public institutions accountable.
He disclosed that the EU had sustained its partnership with the NHRC since 2024 and was preparing a new project with additional funding to deepen collaboration with the commission.
Mignot pledged that the EU delegation would examine the recommendations and roadmap emerging from the forum and share them with its authorities and member states for further consideration.
In a goodwill message on behalf of the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantale, Prince Chinedu Obi urged political parties and their supporters to embrace issue-based campaigns, political tolerance and responsible communication.
IPAC cautioned against electoral violence, hate speech, voter suppression and political intimidation, stressing that political opponents should be regarded as competitors rather than enemies.
The council also called for greater inclusion of women, young people and persons with disabilities in the electoral process, while urging security agencies to operate professionally and impartially.
Dantale said public confidence in the electoral system would depend on the ability of institutions to guarantee that votes counted and Nigerians could freely exercise their democratic rights.
The forum attracted representatives of government institutions, diplomatic missions, political parties, civil society organisations, the media and human rights groups to assess the state of human rights and develop practical strategies for protecting civic and political freedoms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
