Presidential candidates of the Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and 15 others have signed a peace pact towards a peaceful election on Saturday.
Speaking at the event, which was held in Abuja on Wednesday, the EU Ambassador, Samuela Isopi, called for a peaceful election.
Isopi said that she wanted Nigeria to lead by example, and send a strong message to the world about consolidating democracy.
She urged all candidates to accept the results of the election or seek legal redress when dissatisfied.
Some of the presidential candidates present are Bola Tinubu (APC), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP), and Dan Nwanyanwu (ZLP), while the Labour Party was represented by its vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed.
The first peace pact was signed in September last year, prior to the commencement of campaigns.
This signing is the second at last to be signed by the candidates, and it’s to enlist their commitment to a peaceful conduct of the 2023 presidential election.
Members of the peace committee present include General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and Dr John Momoh, CON.
Others were the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, and former president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, who leads the Commonwealth Election Observer Group to Nigeria.
Again, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reiterated its commitment to conducting the elections as scheduled.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, also assured Nigerians of a transparent exercise.
The IGP, in his remarks, decried the lack of compliance with the spirit of the September peace accord, which committed the candidates to issue based campaigns.
Usman appealed to political parties to warn their supporters to ensure that the election is peaceful.
He also calls on candidates to emulate president Jonathan who accepted the outcome of the 2015 Elections, and helped keep the country’s peace.
