Nigeria’s Political Parties Sign Peace Pact

19th Jan 2015 In Nigeria, the presidential candidates from the PDP and APC political groups, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammad Buhari, together with those from other parties contending for the post of Nigeria’s president, signed an agreement to be peaceful before, during and after the coming elections on February fourteenth.

The peaceful agenda was recorded on Wednesday the fourteenth of January and was also signed by the national chairman of other political parties. Some of the other presidential hopefuls present were Tunde Anifowose-Kelani of Action alliance, Professor Comfort Oluremi Sonaiya of Kowa party, Dr. Rafiu Salau of AD, Ganiyu Galadima of ACPN, ADC’s Dr. Naming Ibrahim Ahmad, Ambrose Albert Owuru of HDP, Godson Okoye of UDP, Chief Chekwas Okoye of UPP and Martin Onovo of NCP.

Witnesses at the signing were retired colonel Sambo Dasuki, INEC’s chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and the chairperson of the event, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

The five points accord says in part that all bodies  “Reaffirming our commitment to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, desirous of sustaining and promoting the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria as an indivisible entity, determined to avoid any conduct or behavior that will endanger the political stability and national security of Nigeria, determined to place national interest above personal and partisan concerns, and reaffirm our commitment to fully abide by all rules and regulations as laid down in the legal framework for elections in Nigeria.

“Hereby commit ourselves and our party to the following: To run issue based campaigns at national, state and local governments levels; in this we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both ourselves and agents acting in our names; to refrain from making or causing to make our names or that of our party, any public statements, pronouncements, declarations  or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections.

The accord adds that all parties will commit themselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence to the accord, by a national peace committee, made up of respected statesman and women, traditional and religious leaders. It requests all institutions of government including INEC and security agencies to act with impartiality, and to forcefully speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetrated by supporters and/or opponents.”