Yesterday, political parties and their presidential candidates signed the second national peace accord ahead of Saturday’s elections, promising to ensure peaceful elections and accept the results.
At the International Conference Centre in Abuja, the peace pact was signed by the presidential candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Alhaji Musa Kwankwaso.
The National Peace Committee, led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, retd, and in collaboration with the Kukah Centre, organized the second event in the series.
Related News Vote Obi, protect your vote, expose rigging, Udeogaranya charges voters Inefficiency in Nigerian ports hiking cost of cargo — SAN In his goodwill message at the well-attended event, President Muhammadu Buhari urged the contestants and their political parties to respect the choice of voters and accept the results of the elections as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the agency empowered by law to do so. The IGP orders restriction of movement on election days.
After reminding Nigerians that there is no other country in the world, the president told them to do everything in their power to keep the country safe, united, and peaceful. He also said that there should be no riots or acts of violence after the election results were announced.
As per him, all complaints, individual or institutional, ought to be directed to the significant courts.
The president promised his administration’s ongoing support to INEC, security agencies, and any other relevant institutions charged with conducting the elections.
In addition, he instructed them to conduct the elections in accordance with the laws and provisions of the Constitution while remaining firm and courageous.
We’ll act neutrally, according to President Buhari’s speech: First, I’d like to express my gratitude to the National Peace Committee’s Chairman and all of its members; very prominent Nigerians, for their dedication and willingness to make sacrifices in order to support peaceful elections in Nigeria.
“In September 2022, the Chairman respectfully asked me to deliver a message of goodwill in support of issue-based, peaceful political campaigns and rallies free of personal attacks and insults. This is the core of my personal conviction and belief; that we need to focus more on issues that are important to Nigerians’ hearts.
“The Peace Committee has remained steadfast, working with relevant agencies to provide a moral compass and serve as an independent agency for alternative dispute resolution on the electoral process despite having no financial support from the government. I applaud the Committee’s dedication not only to the electoral process but also to Nigerian peace in general.
I am aware of the serious concerns that have been expressed regarding the conduct of the general elections in 2023 and the potential outcomes of those elections. However, my government has put in a lot of effort since I took office to ensure that we leave behind elections that are free, fair, credible, safe, and peaceful. The rule of law will continue to take precedence over political expediency, and we will continue to act neutrally. With the off-cycle elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun states, we demonstrated that. We allowed Nigerians to choose their leaders. We will continue to uphold this legacy until my last day in office.
I want to reassure INEC, the security agencies, and any other relevant institutions tasked with managing the elections that my administration will continue to support them. I implore you to conduct the elections in accordance with the laws and provisions of the Constitution while remaining firm and courageous.
In his welcome address, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, chairman of the National Peace Committee, explained that the National Peace Committee organized the first signing of the National Peace Accord on September 29, 2022, committing the candidates to issue-based campaigns.
General Abubakar also said that the committee checked to see if politicians were following the agreement: “Some of the violations that were cause for concern were recorded.
Parties disregarded agreements— Abdulsalami “The major political parties did not adhere.” The political party spokespersons were responsible for 44% of the violations; by party members at 26%; 19% by the official applicants themselves; 11% from ardent supporters and 4% from party chairmen.
“In addition, there have been a lot of violent incidents in the month of January alone, with at least 15 kidnappings (including one police officer), at least 30 deaths (including 11 security guards), and at least six attacks on political campaign rallies.
“From 2019 to 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claims to have recorded 50 attacks on its offices,” in December 2022. Imo State has 11, Osun has 7, Enugu has 5, Akwa Ibom has 5, Ebonyi has 4, Cross River has 4, Abia has 4, Anambra has 2, Taraba has 2, Kaduna has 1, Borno has 1, Bayelsa has 1, Ondo has 1, Lagos has 1, and Ogun has 1.
We must put an end to all of these as a nation. As a result, on January 20, 2022, we convened a meeting of presidential candidates and party chairmen to discuss the need for parties to moderate their views and current and potential issues pertaining to the campaign process.
“Now that the elections are only a few hours away, we are here to witness the second signing of the National Peace Accord, which commits the presidential candidates and party chairmen to accept the results of the elections as long as they are deemed free, fair, and credible, and to seek legitimate and peaceful means of addressing any subsequent concerns.
“In this regard, I want to encourage political parties to respect the fact that only INEC has the constitutional authority to announce the results. I also want to make sure that their supporters refrain from disseminating fake news, misinformation, and disinformation and refrain from making statements that will incite violence after the results of the elections have been announced.
“Similarly, I urge all political parties, presidential candidates, and indeed Nigerians to avoid the temptation of using polls that are not credible to cause political confusion.”
Additionally talking, previous Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, retd, communicated bliss that the Public Harmony Council played exceptionally crucial parts in the country’s constituent cycles, noticing that the advancement had emphatically improved Nigeria’s popularity based analyze.
He stated, Since 2015, the National Peace Committee has been promoting peace and establishing itself as a trustworthy, independent mediation organization in Nigeria’s elections. The committee has reached an agreement and has communicated the need to maintain the case before, during, and after the elections to the public, political actors, and government officials at all levels.
“I thank the Peace Committee members for their faith in Nigeria and for their unwavering efforts to keep this country together and viable,” I said.
General Yakubu Gowon stated, noting that peace was essential to the development of political, social, and economic progress in every democracy: Before, during, and after the elections, “I passionately appeal to the political actors to embrace peace and be civil.”
Accept the results of the polls—Jonathan On his part, the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, praised the National Peace Committee for their excellent work in the country’s electoral processes in a message read at the event by his representative and Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Hassan Kukah.
He says that the committee deserves praise, especially because it has the potential to get all of the candidates to agree to a peaceful electioneering process.
He reminded the candidates that he and President Muhammadu Buhari had traveled a similar path in 2015 and asked them to adhere to the agreement’s spirit.
In the second agreement, we also made it very clear that we would abide by the votes’ results. That was, in my opinion, the way to improve our democracy.
“There could be no greater chance to earnestly commit to this responsibility than now, given the impressive degrees of strain and trepidation up to this point experienced in the development to these decisions.
This is the time for candidates and party leaders to show their good will and convince followers that elections are not wars.
“To be able to adequately address these challenges and provide designed leadership that meets the expectations of our teeming populace and the international community, our nation needs a democracy that is stable and dependable.
“They all look up to us for getting our democracy right and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the process of recruiting leadership and running the government.”
“We need peaceful elections to give democracy a boost on the continent, especially in our sub-region, where civil rule is threatened by a wave of unconstitutional changes of government. Therefore, I ask the presidential candidates, the party chairman, and members of all political parties to please respect the voice of Nigerians and embrace the politics of peace.” This is because civil rule is threatened by a wave of unconstitutional changes of government in our sub-region.
Jonathan went on to say, “We must continue to work tirelessly in our various capacities to ensure that peace reigns supreme during and after the elections.” He continued, “We must continue to work tirelessly.”