2027: Buratai-Backed Institute of Security Nigeria Rallies Support for Council of the Wise to Avert Electoral Crisis
The Institute of Security Nigeria (ISN), under the patronage of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd.), has thrown its weight behind the inauguration of the reconstituted Council of the Wise by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, describing the initiative as a timely intervention to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a policy statement signed by the Institute’s Deputy President and Chief Executive, Barrister Adebayo Akinade, the ISN said the Council, chaired by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (Rtd.), is strategically positioned to foster dialogue, reduce political tensions and strengthen peaceful electoral participation across the country.
According to the Institute, Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 elections come at a time when electoral violence, misinformation, hate speech and declining public trust remain significant threats to national security and democratic consolidation.
It noted that the reactivation of the Council of the Wise would provide a credible, non-partisan platform for engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, political parties, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society groups in promoting peaceful elections.
“The establishment of the Council represents a strategic intervention that aligns with our long-held doctrine that weapons clear territory, but communications and consensus secure it,” the statement said.
The Institute also commended renowned diplomat and elder statesman, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, CFR, a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute and founder of the Savannah Centre, for sustaining the Centre’s legacy of promoting democracy, peacebuilding and conflict resolution since 1993.
It described Gambari’s decades of national and international service as invaluable to Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that his leadership would provide the strategic depth required for the Council to achieve its objectives.
The ISN highlighted three major strengths of the initiative: its institutional credibility through respected national figures, its multi-stakeholder engagement model linking political dialogue with operational security planning, and its early intervention strategy designed to prevent electoral crises before they escalate.
The Institute urged political actors, governments at all levels, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and citizens to cooperate fully with the Council by promoting dialogue, verified information and peaceful participation throughout the electoral process.
It further called on government to institutionalise similar peace structures at state and local government levels, arguing that permanent preventive mechanisms would strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture beyond election periods.
The Institute pledged continued collaboration with the Savannah Centre in the areas of strategic communication, conflict prevention, early warning systems and capacity building for security personnel, traditional rulers and community leaders.
Under the leadership and patronage of General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Rtd.), CFR, the Institute reaffirmed its readiness to partner with the Savannah Centre and other critical stakeholders to ensure that the 2027 elections strengthen, rather than fracture, Nigeria’s democratic institutions. The statement added that Buratai’s longstanding commitment to security sector reforms, national cohesion and conflict prevention reinforces the Institute’s resolve to support initiatives capable of promoting electoral peace and stability.
Concluding the statement, the ISN maintained that the 2027 general elections would serve as a critical test of Nigeria’s democratic resilience, expressing confidence that collective commitment to justice, dialogue and responsible leadership would ensure peaceful, credible and widely accepted polls.
“The 2027 elections will test Nigeria’s democratic resilience. The Council of the Wise, led by Justice Ariwoola and founded by Distinguished Fellow Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, offers a credible pathway to peace. The Institute of Security Nigeria, under the patronage of General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, stands ready to partner with the Savannah Centre and all stakeholders to ensure the elections strengthen, not fracture, the Nigerian state. Peace is not the absence of competition. It is the presence of justice, dialogue and shared responsibility.”
