Guber candidates in Delta shun peace accords

Governorship candidates of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sheriff Oborevwori; All Progressives Congress (APC), Ovie Omo-Agege; Social Democratic Party (SDP), Kenneth Gbagi; All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Great Ogboru, and others were absent, yesterday, as political parties signed a peace accord to be of good behaviour before, during and after the general elections.

The peace accord was organised by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in collaboration with Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) and other non-governmental organisations in the state

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Rev. Monday Udoh Tom, said the peace accord was to forestall violence as one of the factors that have militated against credible elections in Nigeria.

Tom stated that INEC assembled the political parties and their candidates to make a commitment to play by the rules while BVAS gives a boost to the credibility of the 2023 elections.

In an interview after signing of the peace accord, Sheriff Mulade, the executive director of CEPEJ, told journalists political parties wre ready for the peace accord.

He said they were ready to support INEC to actualise a peaceful election, devoid of violence.

“From the interactions and discussions, we can see they are committed to the peace process. Since the campaigns began, you can see some level of peace in Delta state.

“The peace accord is like a constitution, so they must abide by it. It is a binding document on them,” he stated.

Mulade added that as a peace advocate, he had to collaborate with INEC to actualise peace during the elections.

According to him, the peace accord is not peculiar to only Delta State but signed across the nation.

He said: “The essence of this exercise is to have that unity and understanding to build on the existing peace in the state.

“As the general elections draw near, there is need to work with relevant parties and candidates to ensure peace as parties go about campaigning. They should work towards a peaceful society.

“Without peace there cannot be election and the politicians cannot run a chaotic society. We need that understanding with the electoral body and the candidates, that’s why we are doing this.”