Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Others To Sign Peace Pact Ahead Of 2023 Polls

The National Peace Committee (NPC) has invited political parties, presidential candidates, and their spokespersons to sign peace accords that will commit them to issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2023 general elections.

A letter signed by the chairman of NPC, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the first phase of the peace pact will be signed by presidential candidates and their spokespersons at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on September 29, a day after the official commencement of presidential campaigns on September 28.

The peace pact will commit the aspirants and their delegated aides to stick to issue-based campaigns devoid of ethnic, religious, and hateful rhetoric during the campaign season.

The second pact will be signed in January, before the elections, to commit the political parties, candidate, and their supporters to promote a non-violent and inclusive electioneering process before, during, and after the declaration of results.

“The first signing is scheduled to happen at the start of the campaigns this September and the second in January of 2023, just before the elections,” the letter stated. “The first accord signing is intended to commit political parties, candidates, and their spokespersons to conduct their campaigns (both online and offline) in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious, and hateful rhetoric that will incite violence and further aggravate the growing tension and insecurity in the nation.”

“These interventions are to complement ongoing peace initiatives aimed at promoting a violence-free and inclusive electioneering process before, during and after the declaration of the final election results,” the letter read.

The leading candidates in the race for the 2023 seat include Ahmed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).