As early posturing for the 2027 general elections begins to heat up the polity, the Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has cautioned political actors against engaging in toxic conducts and provocative utterances capable of destabilizing the nation.
Prof. Sulaiman issued the stern warning on Sunday, August 30, 2026, while featuring on the Newsmen Personality Interview Series in Abuja. He noted that as electoral activities gather momentum, political figures must exercise maximum restraint and avoid actions that could trigger widespread unrest.
Institutional Summit to Curb Inflammatory Messaging, to proactively tackle rising political friction, the NILDS chief revealed plans to host a major institutional intervention targeted at political actors and media handlers.
”As electioneering activities gather momentum for the 2027 general elections, NILDS is finalising plans to convoke a political communication summit to address the issues of political communications, including utterances and campaigns,” Sulaiman stated.
“Our appeal is that our campaign utterances should be issue-based. We should avoid vulgar statements. We should avoid statements that could set the country on fire. Our appeal to our politicians is that we should not be under any illusion that everything is okay. We should protect this democracy through our conduct, through our political culture.”
Beyond reining in political rhetoric, Prof. Sulaiman stressed the urgent necessity for political parties to reform their internal processes to reflect genuine inclusivity. He implored party administrators to actively incorporate women, youth, and historically marginalized demographics into decision-making structures ahead of 2027.
Addressing public anxiety over economic hardship and governance issues, the NILDS boss reiterated that democratic rule remains fundamentally superior to any military system.
He asserted that dialogue, political concessions, and continuous institutional reforms are the only legitimate tools for progress, expressing optimism that Nigeria can realize its continental leadership potential if its human and natural wealth are effectively managed.
Concluding the session, Prof. Sulaiman appealed to politicians across political divides to prioritize the corporate existence, unity, and constitutional integrity of Nigeria over short-term partisan victories.
