The presidential candidates of the 18 political parties, on Wednesday, signed another peace accord ahead of Saturday’s poll.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by
members of the National Peace Committee, led by Abdusalam Abubakar, former military head of state; President Muhammadu Buhari; former President Goodluck Jonathan; Yakubu Gowon, former military head of state and other dignitaries.
The peace accord was signed by Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), amongst others.
By signing the peace accord, the candidates “accept and abide by the outcome of the 2023 presidential election and if issues should arise” to “deploy constitutional means and appeal to the courts rather than other unconstitutional means”.
Read also: PDP, APC, others sign peace accord as INEC assures credible poll in Edo
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it has commenced the movement of sensitive materials for this Saturday’s election to the various Local Government Areas nationwide.
INEC said by Friday, it would activate the Registration Area Centres (RACs) so that at first light on Saturday, polling units will open on time.
Mahmood Yakubu, INEC’s chairman, said this at the signing ceremony in Abuja.
He said the signing of the peace accord on Wednesday comes at a critical moment in the electoral calendar, adding that campaign for presidential and National Assembly elections ends at midnight on Thursday.
He said: “This is the 3rd Peace Accord to be signed by parties and candidates on the eve of a General Election in Nigeria since 2015 and the 9th overall if we include the Accords signed before the commencement of electioneering campaign in September last year and ahead of the five off-cycle Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo in 2020, Anambra in 2021 and Ekiti and Osun States in 2022.
“The commission is committed to free, fair and credible elections in compliance with the electoral legal framework and the letter and spirit of the Peace Accord. All political parties and candidates are hereby reassured of the commission’s neutrality. Above all, Nigerians should feel confident that their votes will count.”
Also speaking, former President Jonathan said the peace accord is needed to deter candidates and their allies from using instruments of misinformation to influence the election.
Represented by Matthew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, the ex-president tasked INEC and security agencies on the need to ensure credible elections.
“This is aimed at mitigating disinformation, and misinformation during the election and in the time of the social media era. There is no other time than now given the considerable tension in the country as a result of the election,” he said. “The election is not war. The country needs a stable democracy. The world looks up to us to get our leadership right and leadership recruitment right.”
On his part Gowon, former military head of state, urged the candidates to be “civil in their engagements”, stressing that Nigeria is in need of a leader who is capable of “bringing and ensuring dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the people”.
“I appeal to those who are bent on disrupting the election to reconsider their actions, to give an opportunity for just and fair resolution to the problems at hand. I wish all Nigerians a peaceful election and smooth transition of government as we had last time,” he said.
