Rivers Governorship Debate Group, comprising investors in the state, have urged politicians to shun voilence and embrace peace, stating that election is not about brutality.

Chairman of the group, Ibifiri Bobmanuel, said, yesterday, in Port Harcourt that five top governorship candidates in the state would, on February 19, sign  a peace pact to ensure a violence-free election.

While emphasising the need for stable transition, Bobmanuel said Rivers State is too important to investors to allow it into anarchy.

He said: “We believe that if we have an enabling and stable electioneering circle, it will enhance our investment in Rivers State. We have a whole lot of investment and stake in the economy of the state and because of the stake we have, it is very much  important for us to have a stable transition.”

He said the peace accord and debate, which started since 2015, has recorded good results.

“In 2015, the state was at a boiling point but you will  not understand what happened behind the scene that  calmed those nerves; a lot of things took place , we played a lot of role, which we cannot say here . We were able to make the gladiators see the need for a peaceful society.”

Bobmanuel disclosed that the governorship candidates in the state had expressed willingness to participate in the exercise, hinting that there would be representatives from the National Peace Committee and the international community, who are part of the peace process.

He said the group is interested in discussing issue-based topics rather than violence.