2027 Election: Institute Cautions Against Alleged Plot To Divide Nigerians

The president and chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Ike Neliaku, has warned Nigerians against alleged plots by the political elite to foment division and weaken national unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Neliaku who spoke during a media interface with journalists yesterday in Abuja, cautioned that self-serving actors are increasingly weaponising ethnic and religious sentiments to polarise the country and undermine her progress.

He said Nigerians must consciously rise above primordial loyalties and refuse to be manipulated by narratives designed to pit citizens against one another.

“We must never allow our ethnic backgrounds to define who we are,” Neliaku said. “We are bigger than where we come from. We are Nigerians first. The deliberate programming of ethnic and religious divisions is meant to keep us perpetually divided.”

According to him, Nigeria’s diversity, often portrayed negatively, remains one of its greatest strengths if harnessed adequately for national development.

He said countries with similar diversity challenges have made progress by prioritising national identity over ethnic or religious affiliations, citing Rwanda as an example of deliberate and focused nation-building.

The NIPR president also challenged Nigerians to rethink and deconstruct the negative narratives often associated with the country, arguing that the country’s challenges are not unique but are amplified by poor narrative management.

“Nigeria is not the worst country in the world,” he said. “Other nations face serious problems, but the difference is how they manage and communicate their stories. We must learn to manage our narratives better.”

Emphasising the role of the media, Neliaku described journalists as strategic partners in reputation building, peace building and consensus building.

He said the institute was committed to strengthening collaboration with the media to advance national development and add long-term professional value to journalists.

He explained that public relations is a global, lifelong profession, noting that NIPR members enjoy practice rights in over 126 countries through the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management.

This, he said, provides opportunities for journalists to transition into consultancy roles after active newsroom practice.

To further strengthen media capacity, Neliaku disclosed that the NIPR Council had approved a new professional training initiative for journalists tagged, “Journalist Workforce of Chance”.

He urged media practitioners to identify priority areas that would make the programme impactful and relevant.