2027: NGO Plans Non-violent Election Programme, Others

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

A civil society organisation, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), has announced plans to roll out a Non-Violent Election Programme ahead of the 2027 general elections, as part of a broader strategy to promote peace, unity and sustainable development in Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer/National Coordinator of the CEPEJ-Africa, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, announced this over the weekend at the Africa for Peace Complex, CEPEJ Building, Ugolo Near Osubi Airport in Delta State.

The programme, according to the leader of the Pan African Development Advocacy group, will focus on civic and voter education, deployment of election observers, training of election peace monitors, community stakeholder networking and multi-stakeholder roundtable discussions, aimed at ensuring calm, secure and transparent electoral processes.

The year 2027 being an election year, Comrade Mulade noted that it is of utmost importance to sustain the existing peace in Nigeria and the plan is to mitigate conflict and promote tolerance among all political actors.

“This is an election year and it is key that we need peace in Nigeria, so we must sustain peace in the political arena.

“The aim is to mitigate conflict, promote tolerance among political actors and support free, fair and transparent elections,” he said.

Comrade Mulade also announced plans to organise a Delta State Ethnic Peace and Unity Football Tournament as part of its peacebuilding efforts, especially among youths across the state.

“We believe that through this football tournament, peaceful co-existence will be promoted,” the CEPEJ boss said.

“It will also help us discover talents and groom them for opportunities, including possible selection for the national team.”

CEPEJ further disclosed plans to strengthen Petroleum Industry Act Host Community Development Trusts (PIA-HCDTs) through capacity building programmes, including leadership training, proposal development, people management and report writing.

“The Petroleum Industry Act is one of the best things that has happened to Nigeria,” the coordinator said.

“Irrespective of the current percentage, it will better the lives of host communities in the oil industry, and that is why these structures must be strengthened to deliver on their mandate.”

On peacebuilding in Delta State, the organisation said it would sustain its Warri Peacebuilding Awareness Creation Programme through multi-stakeholder dialogues and town hall meetings to deepen reconciliation among ethnic groups in the Warri Federal Constituency.

“Warri is the commercial nerve centre of Delta State and Warri needs peace,” he said. “If there is crisis in Warri, there is crisis in Delta, and it can snowball into a Niger Delta crisis.

We must do everything humanly possible to nip any uprising and ensure peace and unity among the Itsekiris, Ijaws and Urhobos.”

The NGO also called on the Delta State Government to complement ongoing infrastructure projects with deliberate industrialisation policies to address youth unemployment and economic sustainability.

“Infrastructure is good, but employment is more important for the sustainability of society,” the CEPEJ head said. “If there is no industry, there is no empowerment.

Government must create the enabling environment for investors, and that starts with electricity and power generation”, he added.

He urged the state government to consider building power stations across the three senatorial districts, noting that reliable electricity would stimulate private investment, create jobs and boost economic growth ahead of 2026 and beyond.

To achieve its goals, CEPEJ said it would adopt what it described as the “three Cs” — communication, collaboration and cooperation — alongside effective monitoring and evaluation.

“We are speaking to journalists to inform the general public of what we are doing,” he said. “We also need to collaborate with relevant stakeholders because as a civil society organisation, we cannot achieve these plans without partnership and networking.”

According to the press statement, the 2026 work plan will guide CEPEJ’s interventions in peacebuilding, environmental justice, climate action, education, sports, governance and community development across several states, including Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Lagos, Kano, FCT-Abuja and others.

Other planned programmes include youth and women empowerment initiatives, environmental awareness campaigns, drug abuse and cultism sensitisation in schools, expansion of peace and environment clubs, establishment of mediation centres, support for internally displaced persons, and renewed advocacy for the creation of State Peacebuilding Commissions in the Niger Delta.

CEPEJ said effective implementation of the work plan would contribute significantly to peaceful coexistence, environmental sustainability and economic empowerment in Nigeria.