President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday joined leaders and presidential candidates of other political parties to sign a peace accord designed to ensure that political actors play by the rules to guarantee free, fair and credible elections next year.
However, the Presidential Candidate of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and his party chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, were conspicuous by their absence at the ceremony which took place at the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC).
The accord was put together by the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsami Abubakar.
According to the head of Atiku’s media office in Abuja, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President did not receive any invitation for the ceremony.
However, addressing the issue in a chat with reporters after the event, Gen. Abubakar maintained that every person concerned was invited to the meeting.
But he conceded that if there was a breakdown of communication along the line, he might not have known.
He said: “You have seen the number of parties that have been invited. He will answer for himself but speaking for the National Peace Committee, everybody was invited. What reasons do we have not to invite somebody. This accord was for all political parties to sign to be of good will and good behaviour during elections.
“If there is a break down of communications somewhere I don’t know.”
On whether Atiku’s absence will weaken the accord, he responded: “How will it? One candiate? I don’t think it will weakened the accord.”
The former Head of State assured that those who may not have attended the signing ceremony will have the opportunity to append their signatures to the document.
“Of course, they are open to come and sign the peace accord. What surprises me is that when we had the conference with the political parties, he came out and agreed on this agenda. The parties agreed and it was the recommendation that the Peace Committee has taken,” he declared.
In his address at the occasion, Buhari stressed the need for trust without which he observed, the society cannot thrive or develop, and noted that political actors must commit themselves to peaceful and credible elections.
He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to maintain neutrality in the course of the exercise.
The president said: “We are here to commit ourselves, as key actors in the political process; party leaders and presidential candidates, to peaceful and credible conduct of the process.
“We, the candidates pledge to uphold the highest standard of conducts and encourage our teeming supporters to do same.
“I wish to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all arms of security agencies to put the nation first in their conduct. The world is watching us and the task of building or institutionalising trust in our political system and institution is fundamental to the growth and development of our country.”
He further stated: “The conduct of our elections have been consistently marred by violence caused by the behaviours of most sections of the political class and their supporter, but there are encouraging signs that we are learning to embrace the responsibilities expected of us.”
Gen. Abubakar, in his address earlier, had noted that 91 political parties and 72 presidential candidates were present to sign the accord which he observed was the “crowning moment” of all the accords that had been made.
While stressing the need for the accord, he noted that election cannot not hold in the absence of peace.
The former Head of State explained that what the political actors had signed was a pledge to work for peace, noting that the fragile security situation should be a source of concern to all.
He the rodeo warned that “you must not do anything to make things worse.”
While regretting that churches and mosques were issuing disinformation and incitement, he warned INEC to stick to its commitment to free and fair election.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, the Head of European Union Mission in Nigeria, Ketil Karsen, recalled that in 2015, Nigeria set an example for Africa when an incumbent president accepted his defeat at the poll, hoping that it could consolidate on the feat.
He urged politicians to shun vote-buying as he counseled against harassment and intimidation of voters.
The EU Head also advised INEC to “jealously” guard its independence as he assured that the EU was not in Nigeria to support a particular candidate or party but the electoral process.
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, gave the keynote address at the ceremony.
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