By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, a Kaduna-based Christian cleric, Pastor Dr. Yohanna Buru, has announced the mobilisation of 100,000 Muslim and Christian religious leaders for a nationwide prayer and peace campaign aimed at promoting peaceful elections and preventing violence across the country.
Buru, General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, disclosed this on Tuesday while addressing journalists at his church in Kaduna.
He said the initiative had brought together 50,000 imams and 50,000 pastors who would spearhead coordinated prayers, fasting and peace advocacy across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the initiative is designed to harness the influence of religious institutions in promoting national unity, discouraging political violence and encouraging peaceful participation in the electoral process.
The cleric emphasised that sustained prayers and spiritual interventions were necessary for Nigeria’s stability, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 polls.
“We have to embark on ceaseless prayer and fasting to make Nigeria better. We must also continue to support our leaders with prayers so that God can guide them in making the right decisions,” he said.
Buru noted that religious leaders had a significant responsibility to contribute to national peace, stressing that mosques and churches could serve as powerful platforms for discouraging electoral violence, hate speech, political intolerance and other divisive tendencies.
He explained that the planned campaign would extend beyond religious gatherings to reach communities at the grassroots, including local government areas across the country.
Under the initiative, participating clerics are expected to use Friday Juma’at services, Sunday worship, radio and television programmes, as well as social media platforms, to promote messages of tolerance, forgiveness, peaceful coexistence and national solidarity.
He added that special prayer sessions would also be organised for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, police, Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilante groups, who continue to confront security challenges in different parts of the country.
“We will be praying for our soldiers, police, Civilian JTF and vigilantes. They are the people standing between us and chaos, and they need God’s protection as they discharge their responsibilities,” he said.
Expressing optimism about the country’s electoral future, Buru expressed confidence that Nigeria could conduct peaceful elections in 2027 if political actors, religious institutions and citizens collectively embraced responsible conduct.
He particularly appealed to politicians to prioritise issue-based campaigns, respect democratic principles and refrain from inflammatory statements capable of provoking violence.
“Leadership is service, not war. Politicians must avoid hate speech and incitement. They should sell their ideas and programmes to the people rather than resorting to insults and divisive rhetoric,” he advised.
The cleric also urged Nigerian youths to resist attempts by desperate politicians to recruit them for electoral violence, ballot-box snatching and other forms of political disruption.
He challenged young people to become advocates of democracy and peaceful participation rather than instruments of violence in the hands of political interests.
“We are not enemies. We are one family under God. We are all children of Adam and Eve. Although we have different holy books, we worship one God,” he stated.
Also speaking at the briefing, a Muslim cleric, Mallam Musa Mohammed, expressed support for the initiative, describing peaceful coexistence as a shared religious and national responsibility.
He maintained that peace remained fundamental to sustainable development, urging religious leaders and Nigerians from different backgrounds to work together towards building a united and prosperous country.
“Peace is our religious duty. Without peace, there can be no meaningful development. We must all join hands to make Nigeria better,” Mohammed said.
Buru further disclosed that the campaign would feature town hall meetings, media engagements and sensitisation visits to schools, markets and other public places in the coming months.
He said the mobilisation was part of efforts to ensure that peace advocacy began well ahead of the elections rather than waiting until the commencement of campaigns or election day.
The initiative comes as political consultations and preparations gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with stakeholders increasingly emphasising the need for credible, peaceful and violence-free electoral processes.
