Campaigning for re-election, President Bola Tinubu urged Plateau voters to back the APC and said the 2027 polls would be peaceful. He also apologised to families affected by attacks for not visiting their communities during an earlier trip. His assurances on security, forest guards and rebuilding now face the test of delivery.
By Nalang Lekwort
Jos, Plateau State — Saturday, November 14, 2026
President Bola Tinubu has promised peaceful elections in 2027 and pledged government support to rebuild communities affected by attacks in Plateau State, combining campaign appeals with assurances on security and recovery at an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Jos.
Tinubu, who is seeking re-election on the APC ticket, urged voters to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at the polls—while explicitly encouraging them to vote for his party.
“That’s your weapon to prosperity; that’s your roadmap. Use it effectively well. Use it to vote APC,” he told supporters.
He also urged residents not to be deterred by political violence, saying, “There will be peaceful elections.” His remarks came a day after he publicly directed security agencies to confront thuggery and other anti-democratic conduct. In that statement, he said campaigns should focus on issues and public welfare. (Presidency statement)
The speech placed a central question before voters: how will the administration turn its promises of peaceful elections and improved security into measurable results?
Tinubu apologises to families affected by attacks
Recalling an earlier visit to Plateau, Tinubu asked families affected by attacks in Anguwan Rukuba, in Jos North Local Government Area, to forgive him for not travelling from the airport to affected communities.
“When I last visited the other time, I was limited to the airport. Forgive me if you didn’t see me in the hinterland,” he said, adding that he had seen reports of the devastation and received information from the governor.
The President condoled with families who had lost relatives and said too many lives had been lost in attacks in Plateau since 2001. He promised that affected communities would be rebuilt so displaced residents could return home.
However, the remarks provided no timetable, funding details or specific reconstruction plan. Without those details, residents have little information from the speech about when rebuilding might begin, which communities would be prioritised or how displaced families would be supported.
Security promises include 1,000 forest guards and surveillance cameras
Tinubu said he had directed security agencies to take decisive action and sustain peace and stability in Plateau. He also said 1,000 forest guards were undergoing training and that surveillance cameras had been procured.
“You will feel them; you will see them. You will feel secure in your villages and communities,” he said of the guards.
The President did not provide details at the rally about where the guards would be deployed, when they would begin operating, how their work would be coordinated with existing security agencies or how their impact would be assessed. Nor did he specify where the cameras would be installed or when they would become operational.
Those unanswered questions matter in a state where residents have endured repeated attacks and displacement. The pledges set expectations, but the rally speech alone does not establish that the measures are in place or that they have reduced the risk to communities.
Peaceful-election pledge follows warning over political violence
Tinubu’s assurance in Jos followed a statement issued the previous day condemning violence at political events and warning politicians and supporters against intimidation. He said security agencies were authorised to confront political thuggery and other anti-democratic activities.
The promise of peaceful elections comes amid reports of violent incidents at political gatherings in different parts of Nigeria. The President’s statement commits his administration to an orderly electoral process, but it does not, by itself, explain how security agencies will prevent attacks, protect all parties and candidates, or ensure that enforcement is impartial.
At the Jos rally, Tinubu urged Nigerians to see differences in language and background as no cause for division. “What we should be getting is prosperity, not havoc, not crisis,” he said.
Election dates: February 6 is in 2027, not 2026
Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s election calendar.
The source material for this report listed the second date as February 6, 2026. That year is incorrect: the governorship and state assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Tinubu’s Jos address paired a campaign appeal for APC votes with promises of peaceful elections, stronger security and reconstruction for communities affected by attacks. The speech offered assurances, but left key implementation questions unanswered—including timelines, deployment plans, funding and accountability.
For affected residents and voters, the measure of the commitments will be whether security improves, displaced families can return safely and reconstruction begins—not simply whether promises are repeated on the campaign trail.
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