IEDPU Urges Ilorin Media Stations to Promote Peaceful Campaigns Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has appealed to broadcast media organisations in Ilorin to use their platforms to promote peaceful campaigns and discourage actions capable of triggering violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Acting National President of IEDPU, Alhaji Abdulrauf Babatunde Issa, made the appeal on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during a consultative meeting between the union’s leadership and chief executives of Ilorin-based broadcast media stations at the union’s national headquarters in Geri Alimi, Ilorin.
Issa said the meeting was convened to strengthen collaboration between IEDPU and the media towards safeguarding peace, stability and development in Ilorin, Kwara State and Nigeria.
He commended the media stations for their contributions to the development of the Ilorin community through their news reports and programmes, noting that their influence in shaping public opinion made them important partners in maintaining peace during election periods.
According to him, IEDPU, which represents the people and residents of Asa, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Ilorin West and Moro Local Government Areas, has existed for more than eight decades with the promotion of peace and progress as one of its major objectives.
The IEDPU leader warned that any disturbance in Ilorin could have far-reaching consequences for Kwara State because the city serves as the state capital and is home to people from virtually every part of the state.
He recalled violent incidents witnessed during the electioneering periods of 1983, 2003 and 2019, stressing that such occurrences were alien to the character of the people and should not be allowed to recur.
Issa urged media executives to deliberately promote peaceful political behaviour and peaceful coexistence, particularly through their news and newspaper review programmes.
“We are pleading with you to join us in promoting peaceful and rancour-free campaigns,” he said, urging broadcasters to avoid content capable of unnecessarily escalating political tensions or turning friends and brothers against one another.
He also appealed to the stations to create programmes specifically designed to encourage peaceful campaigns and coexistence before, during and after the elections.
According to him, the union has produced jingles promoting peaceful campaigns and is seeking the support of broadcast stations to air the messages, particularly during peak listening periods, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
He noted that repeated dissemination of peace messages could help reduce political tension and discourage violence.
Issa further warned that violence does not discriminate along ethnic or religious lines, stressing that no individual could guarantee that he or his loved ones would remain unaffected if violence erupted.
He therefore called on the media to work closely with IEDPU and other stakeholders to ensure that Ilorin, Kwara State and Nigeria remain peaceful throughout the electoral period.
He expressed appreciation to the media executives for attending the meeting and appealed for their cooperation in implementing the union’s peace-building initiatives.
