Catholic bishops on Sunday called on political leaders to guarantee free, fair and credible general elections in 2027, warning against any actions that could undermine the country’s democratic process.
The appeal was made by the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, at the opening of the conference’s Second Plenary Meeting in Ede, Osun State.
Ndagoso said the forthcoming elections offered an opportunity to restore public confidence in democracy and urged those in authority to respect electoral rules.
“Politics is a noble profession at the service of the common good and should be treated as such,” he said.
He stressed that elected and appointed officials, including the president, governors, lawmakers, ministers and local government chairmen, had a duty to uphold democratic principles.
Credible elections were achievable if Nigerians showed the necessary political will, Ndagoso added, insisting that free and fair polls should not be regarded as an impossible task.
The CBCN president also urged eligible voters to reject vote-buying, political cronyism and attempts by politicians to recruit citizens as thugs.
He called on Nigerians to resist being used to advance interests that could threaten peaceful participation in the electoral process.
The bishops’ statement comes amid rising political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 polls. Ndagoso noted that campaigns would increasingly dominate public spaces and stressed the need for the process to remain peaceful, inclusive and transparent.
At the plenary opening, he welcomed Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, congratulated him on his re-election and appealed to all political actors in the state to put the recent governorship contest behind them and focus on development.
