PMB Pledges Support To INEC For Hitch Free Elections, As Political Parties Sign Peace Accord

Oru Leonard

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the Federal government will provide the necessary support to INEC and other stakeholders for successful conduct of this year’s general election.

President Buhari gave the assurance In Abuja during the signing of the Peace Accord organized by the National Peace Committee for chairmen and Candidates of political parties participating in this Saturday’s presidential election.

He said the government would continue to build on the legacy of allowing Nigerians to choose whoever they want to govern them.

President Buhari urged INEC to be firm, courageous and abide by the electoral act and laws guiding the conduct of the election.

Mr President stressed that candidates should respect the results that would be announced by INEC while aggrieved candidates should follow established judicial process to seek redress.

He urged Nigerians to be law abiding and remember that this is the only country that we have.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman National Peace Committee and Former Head of State Retired General Abdulsalaam Abubakar said the committee monitored the activities of political parties since the commencement of campaign and concluded that major parties failed to abide by the first peace Accord signed in September 2022.

The former Head of State passionately expressed disatisfaction with various attacks on INEC facilities, killings and other vices as a result of this general election.

He appealed to the Eighteen political parties and their Candidates to abide by the outcome of the election and seek legitimate means to seek redress.

The Chairman National Peace Committee however stressed the need for political parties to refrain their members from disseminating opinion polls that are not credible and fake election results that did not originate from INEC.

According to him, the support of All Nigerians towards the peaceful conduct of this election can not be over emphasized.

In his message, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu reminded political parties that campaigns and other activities ends Twenty Four Hours before this Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections.

Professor Yakubu noted that movement of sensitive materials have commenced nationwide and that the commission was fully ready for the conduct of the general election.

Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba urged political parties to support efforts towards ensuring successful conduct of this Weekend’s election.

The Inspector General assured Nigerians that adequate measures have been put in place by the security agencies For the polls.

The Legal Adviser Of the Inter Party Advisory Council, Maxwell Mgbudem called on political leaders to place national interest above personal ambition.

He also urged INEC to ensure credible conduct of the polls

ECOWAS Commission, The European Union, African Union, Commonwealth and other international Organizations commended the National Peace Committee for the initiative and reassured that the Peace Accord will renew the commitment of political parties and their Candidates to the peaceful conduct of the election.

The 2023 Election has the highest number of Domestic and International Observers in the history of Nigeria’s democracy.

The Chairmen of Eighteen political parties and their Candidates signed the Peace Accord.

Political Campaigns end today as party chairmen, candidates sign Peace Accord.

In accordance with the Election Timetable published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as contained in the 2022 Electoral Act, all electioneering campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections will end in the midnight of today, Thursday, February 23.

This is even as the candidates of the 18 political parties contesting in the 2023 presidential election on Wednesday signed the Peace Accord alongside the National Chairmen of the parties at an elaborate ceremony at International Conference Center, Abuja.

Initiated by the National Peace Committee (NPC) headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar with Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah as Secretary, Wednesday’s event was the third Peace Accord to be signed by candidates and
parties on the eve of Nigeria’s general election since the first was signed in 2015 and the 9th overall including the Peace Accord signed before the commencement of electioneering campaign in September 2022 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 respectively.

Amongst the Presidential candidates who attended Wednesday’s event were former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (APC); Ex-Governors of Anambra and Lagos states, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi (LP) and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of (APC) as well as Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (NNPP).

Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu told the eminent personalities who attended the signing of the Peace Accord including President Muhammadu Buhari; ex-Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon and former Presidents of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki; Joy Banda (Malawi), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya) as well as Heads of Foreign Observer Groups from the European Union, Commonwealth of Nations and ECOWAS, the Commission is good to go with the elections.

The INEC boss disclosure that the
Commission has already commenced the movement of sensitive materials to the various Local Government Areas (LGAs) nationwide.

Yakubu also assured that election will hold on Saturday, saying: “INEC is ready and by Friday, we will activate the Registration Area Centres (RACs) so that at first light on Saturday, Polling Units will open on time”.

He restated that 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.

“Over the next two days beginning from tomorrow, Thursday, the Commission will be holding daily media briefing at 3pm. The briefing will hold at this venue. The purpose is to provide update on preparations for the elections and to respond to issues that may arise. The briefing is open to political parties, civil society organizations, observers, the media and security agencies”, he said.

The INEC Chairman however, commended the contribution of the National Peace Committee and urged political parties and their candidates to abide by the spirit of the Accord.

(TSN)