Ten out of the fifteen governorship candidates in Adamawa state, North-East Nigeria, have signed a peace accord ahead of the 2023 general elections.
At the signing in Yola, the state capital, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hudu Ari, said the aim is to ensure free, fair and credible elections peacefully in the state.
“I, therefore, implore you each to ensure peace before during and after the elections.
“Electoral violence is a great threat to free, fair and credible elections.
“The signing of peace accords is, therefore, commitment by all candidates to conduct issues-based campaigns through the sprit of sportsmanship by recognizing that only one candidate will emerge as winner at the end of the election,” he said.
Mr. Ari called on them to avoid all forms of hate speeches and give supporters adequate voter education, voting procedure and to shun abuse of youths during the election.
He further assured them of the INEC’s readiness to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
Mr Sikiru Akande, Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Command, commended the politicians in the state for maintaining peace in the conduct of their electioneering campaign and urged them to sustain such.
He said since the commencement of their campaigns there has been no single clash or violence in the state.
“For us, the security services, we will not do anything that will make the level playing ground unfair to any body.
“And the moment we are able to achieve that, I know 90 per cent of the election problems will be over,” he added.
Also, the State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Babagana Bulama, called on all political parties and their supporters to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and play the game by the rules to ensure peace before, during and after the elections.
“Peace is the foundation of development, hence the need for all to understand and abide by the law,” he stated.
Earlier, the Adamawa State Electoral Commissioner had interacted with traditional leaders on the need for people to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and peaceful elections in their respective domains.
