‘Win Elections, But Don’t Kill For Power’ Sanwo Olu Warns Politicians Ahead Of 2027

Kehinde Adeleye

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo Olu, has warned politicians, candidates and their supporters against electoral violence, urging them to pursue political victories without putting the lives of Nigerians at risk.

Sanwo Olu gave the warning on Thursday at the 7th annual lecture organised by Freedom Online at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, where he spoke on Nigeria’s democracy, electoral reforms and preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The governor said political ambition must never be placed above the safety of citizens, stressing that the legitimacy of any government depends on the credibility of the electoral process that produces it.

“A mandate is only as strong as the process that produced it. No office in this land is worth the life of a single Nigerian and no victory won by the wrong means is a victory at all,” Sanwo Olu said.

He urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to reject actions capable of threatening lives or undermining the democratic process.

Sanwo Olu also cited the recent Osun governorship election as evidence that Nigeria’s democracy was maturing, saying the outcome demonstrated that the ruling All Progressives Congress could lose an election without the democratic process being undermined.

The governor noted that incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke defeated the APC candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, by more than 60,000 votes in the August 15 election.

“There was a time in this country when ‘federal might’ was a phrase that a ruling party used without irony,” he said.

“Under this President, the ruling party can lose a state in the South West in an election year, and the sky does not fall. That is what a maturing democracy looks like.”

Sanwo Olu described President Bola Tinubu as a lifelong democrat committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

He also highlighted recent electoral reforms, including the Electoral Act 2022, the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 and the increasing use of technology in voter accreditation, verification and transmission of election results.

However, he said more work was required ahead of the 2027 elections and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure it was fully prepared.

“INEC must be ready in every polling unit on the 16th of January and again on the 6th of February, and each of us has a duty to help it be ready,” he said.

The governor further predicted that the performance of state governors would influence voters’ decisions in 2027, saying Nigerians would assess the impact of government policies and projects in their communities.

“Voters may not be economists, but they are excellent accountants. They know whether their State built the road it promised. They know whether the primary health centre has a nurse in it. They will bring that ledger with them to the polling unit,” Sanwo Olu said.

He also challenged the media to remain independent and rigorous ahead of the elections, urging journalists to scrutinise politicians and expose disinformation regardless of where it originates.

“I am not asking for a compliant press,” he said.

“A compliant press is of no use to a democracy; it flatters the powerful and abandons the public.”

Sanwo Olu urged journalists to verify claims made by politicians, including those from his own political camp, warning that anonymous social media accounts and doctored audiovisual content could become major sources of disinformation ahead of the 2027 elections.