The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the United Nations Resident Commissioner in Nigeria have advocated hate-free speech and ethical politics in the country.

The duo made the call at a roundtable organised in Abuja to celebrate the 2025 International Day for Democracy.

The 2025 International Day for Democracy celebration theme, “Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action,” highlighted the importance of gender equality, citizen engagement and strengthening democratic institutions globally.

The theme of the roundtable is “Hate Speech, Human Rights and Elections in Nigeria’s Politics, Trends and Impacts.”

The event aimed at bringing together key stakeholders, including human rights advocates, political leaders, media representatives and civil society organisations.

This is to enable them to discuss the impact of hate speech and unethical political practices on Nigeria’s democratic processes.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, said that hate speech was intricately related to human rights, either in its form or outcome.

Mr Ojukwu said, “To the person spreading hate speech, it is about the right to freedom of expression, opinion, speech or belief. To the recipient of hate speech, it is a violation of the rights to dignity of the human person and the freedom from discrimination based on religious belief, political, ethnic, gender, cultural or other affinity, among many other human rights. Let us be clear: democracy thrives not only on the ballot but in the values, we uphold between elections.’’

He noted that ethical politics was not optional but essential.

He stated, “Hate speech, vote buying and voter intimidation are not just violations of law. They are violations of the democratic spirit and multipliers of violence; they increase voter apathy and loss of faith in democracy as a form, process and outcome of governance.’’

Mr Ojukwu said that the commission was working with the United Nations and other partners and would be proposing a charter on ethical and hate-free politics to the nation’s political parties.

He stated, “To commit themselves to engaging in peaceful, value-laden and human rights-based politicking that places people at the centre of democratic and electoral processes. As we mark this International Day for Democracy, let us recommit ourselves to building a Nigeria where every citizen can participate freely, safely and meaningfully.’’

Speaking, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said that hate speech was not a new problem.

He noted that in today’s interconnected world, it travels faster and reaches wider audiences than ever before.

He stated, “As the United Nations secretary-general has noted, online hate and disinformation can move from the margins of digital space into the mainstream, fuelling fear, division and even violence. Across the world, we have seen how the misuse of digital platforms undermines trust in democratic institutions and endangers human rights. This is why the United Nations also speaks of promoting information integrity. Information integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency and reliability of information.’’

Mr Fall noted further that information was threatened not only by hate speech but also by disinformation and misinformation.

He said that when falsehoods spread unchecked, especially during elections, they weaken public trust, mislead citizens and undermine democratic choices.

He added that promoting information integrity means ensuring that Nigerians can access reliable information, that public debate is grounded in facts and voters are empowered to make informed choices free from manipulation.

“In Nigeria, the stakes are high. Vibrant political discourse and engagement should be moments of ‘no gree for anybody,’ unity and pride. But they can be harmful if hateful language and hostile narratives are allowed and accepted; it can incite hostility and result in violence. We know from history that hate speech has been a precursor to some of the worst atrocities, including genocide,” he said.

Also, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, said that the roundtable on ethical and hate-free politics was of immense value to the electoral process.

He stated, “By providing a platform for dialogue, reflection and consensus-building among key stakeholders, such discussions would help to reduce tensions, foster mutual understanding and promote a culture of civility in political competition. This in turn makes the work of INEC and indeed all other State Independent Electoral Bodies less burdensome, as it creates an environment where compliance with electoral laws, codes of conduct and the spirit of democracy is more readily achieved.

“We, therefore, express our sincere appreciation to the conveners and participants of this dialogue for their commitment to strengthening democratic norms, and we look forward to continued collaboration in ensuring that our elections and, indeed, the entire electoral process remain peaceful, free from hate speech and unethical conduct, credible and inclusive.’’

(NAN)