CSOs Must Help Secure Credible 2027 Elections – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has charged civil society organisations (CSOs) to play a leading role in ensuring credible, transparent and acceptable elections in the 2027 general elections.

Tinubu,who spoke at the National Civil Society Organisations Summit 2026 in Abuja on Friday, said CSOs had historically served as the vanguard of democracy and must continue to contribute to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.

The summit, themed “Nigeria First and National Development,” was held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The President, represented at the summit by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said civil society organisations should educate voters, monitor elections and advocate for electoral reforms before, during and after the 2027 polls.

He said: “Civil society must continue to educate voters, monitor polls, and advocate for reforms, before, during, and after elections.”

According to him, CSOs, working alongside law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, the media and engaged citizens, could help ensure that the elections were credible.

“Together with law enforcement, the judiciary, media, and engaged citizens, CSOs can ensure elections are credible,” he said.

Tinubu said Nigeria’s strength lay in the unity and vigilance of its citizens, stressing that the role of civil society was particularly important in protecting the country’s democratic gains.

The President also called on civil society organisations to collectively develop a code of conduct for their members, saying past experiences had shown that some organisations had taken actions without sufficient regard for ethics and the broader public interest.

He said such conduct could strain the partnership between government and civil society, adding that his administration operated an open-door policy anchored on transparency and accountability.

Tinubu further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting civic space and the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and press freedom, describing them as inalienable rights protected by the Constitution and Nigeria’s international obligations.

He urged CSOs to uphold high standards of integrity, professionalism and mutual accountability, saying their legitimacy should be matched by credibility and their advocacy by patriotism.

The President also disclosed that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had been directed to establish a Quarterly Government-Civil Society Policy Dialogue Forum.

He said the forum would provide a platform for evidence-based advocacy and community insights to contribute to policy design, implementation and evaluation.

Tinubu said the government would also work with accredited CSOs to strengthen public finance transparency, budget tracking and monitoring of humanitarian and grassroots interventions.

He urged the organisations to support national development by helping to localise the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in the areas of poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, health, education, climate resilience and peacebuilding.

The President said government and civil society must also work together to promote national cohesion and sustain peace by countering misinformation, promoting interfaith dialogue and advancing inclusive governance.

He identified food security, poverty eradication through jobs and enterprise, improved governance and human capital development as four key areas of alignment between government and civil society.

Tinubu said the priorities, earlier identified at the Southern Civil Society Summit held in Lagos on July 9, remained relevant nationwide.

He commended the organisers of the summit, CSCHEI and the National Leadership of Accredited Civil Society Organisations, for convening what he described as an inclusive gathering.