By Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja
Presidential candidates of political parties contesting the 2019 presidential election and their party chairmen have signed the Abuja Peace Accord.
Though the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and some others were absent at the event which took place at the International Conference Centre (ICC), President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole, were part of those that signed the accord.
The candidates agreed: “To run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels. In, this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitements, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and by all agents in our names.
“To refrain from making or causing to make in our names and 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;
“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
“To support all institutions of government including INEC and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartiality.
“To forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetuated by our supporters and or opponents.”
Details later…
