2027: Military vows to be neutral in forthcoming elections

The Armed Forces of Nigeria on Thursday, July 30, reaffirmed their commitment to neutrality, professionalism, and adherence to human rights in the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) spoke 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.

Speaking through a representative, the CDS highlighted that the seminar was timely given current security challenges and the need to create an enabling environment for peaceful elections. He noted that the Constitution saddled the Armed Forces with the mandate to suppress insurrection and provide aid to civil authority when called upon.

“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 added that the seminar would align commanders and staff officers with their roles and reiterate adherence to the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Operation Safe Conduct 2027.
Citing the off-cycle and by-elections in Ekiti, Kano, Kogi, Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu, and Ondo states, he pointed out that the professional conduct of troops contributed to seamless and incident-free polls.

The defence chief urged participants to apply lessons learned to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, ensure rapid response, and protect law-abiding citizens while remaining apolitical. He also commended the strategic guidance and support provided to the Armed Forces.