The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has warned political parties and candidates against using religion to manipulate voters ahead of the 2027 general elections. The organisation urged political actors to focus their campaigns on issues affecting Nigerians rather than religious sentiment.
The Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, also called on religious leaders to reject attempts by politicians to use their platforms to mobilise political support. He said turning religious institutions into tools for electoral campaigns could threaten national cohesion and peaceful coexistence.
Rafsanjani urged candidates to campaign on critical issues such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, poverty reduction, employment, security and accountability. He said credible candidates should present their policies and records to voters instead of attacking opponents or relying on religious endorsements.
CISLAC also expressed concern over alleged intimidation of residents in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, where some individuals were reportedly threatened with eviction if they failed to vote for the All Progressives Congress.
The group described such threats as an assault on citizens’ constitutional rights to freely choose their political representatives.
The organisation called on the Federal Government, state governments, the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to take action against electoral manipulation, intimidation and the misuse of religious institutions.
CISLAC also urged Nigerians to reject attempts to use religion or ethnicity as substitutes for political accountability and to assess candidates based on their competence, policies and records.
