Presidential candidates sign peace pact ahead of 2019 poll

[FILE PHOTO] Polls

Presidential candidates in next year’s general elections yesterday signed a peace pact in Abuja, pledging to maintain peace and ensure a rancour-free poll.

At a one-day conference under the auspices of National Peace Committee (NPC) chaired by former head of state, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), the presidential candidates resolved to adopt the same principles that guided the success of the 2015 elections and, therefore, committed themselves to run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels.

Consequent upon this, they pledged to refrain from campaign that will involve religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by themselves and by all agents acting on their behalf.

Though President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his main rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were absent, other presidential candidates who were in attendance promised to refrain from making or causing to make in their names and that of their party, any public statement, pronouncement, declaration or speech that has the capacity to ingnite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections.

“To commit ourselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence to this accord by a National Peace Committee made up of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders,” a document made available to newsmen explained.

They also announced support for all institutions of government, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartiality,

The candidates warned against forceful publicly speaking and provocative utterances just as they opposed all acts of electoral violence whether perpetuated by their supporters or opponents.