Guber Candidates Sign Peace Accord in Abia

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

No fewer than 11 governorship candidates in Abia have signed peace accord to ensure peaceful governorship/state assembly election on March 18, 2023.

The signing of the peace accord was organised yesterday by the state police command in collaboration with other security agencies and paramilitary formations in the state.

Unlike the previous peace accord, which was largely signed by party chairmen, this time around the major governorship candidates were present to assent to the peace accord.

Among the governorship candidates that signed the peace accord are, Mr. Ikechi Emenike of APC; Mr. Ambrose Ahiwe, PDP;  Mr. Enyinna Nwafor, YPP; Bishop Sunday Onuoha, ADC; Mr. Ukpai Iro Ukpai, NNPP;  Mr. Chikezie Anyim, APM; Mr. Onyekwere Akym Uche, AA, and Mr. Mascot Orji Kalu of APP.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mustapha Mohammed Bala, said that the peace accord has become necessary given that the governorship/state assembly poll is a local affair that would elicit huge interest with potential for violence.

“We want the governorship candidates to come together as brothers, and work for peace,” he said, adding that “we are for peace; we are peace makers and we are ambassadors of peace.”

Bala said that the extension of the governorship poll by one week was a welcome grace period for all stakeholders to make adequate preparation for a successful outcome.

He urged the candidates and the leadership of the various political parties to play by the rules, shun violence, vote buying and other malpractices inimical to peaceful election.

The police commissioner assured all the stakeholders that the police and other security agencies would be alive to their duties to ensure that the prevailing peace in Abia State would not compromised for any reason.

In his remarks, the Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mr. Clement Oha, expressed delight over the interest shown by the governorship candidates and party stakeholders to have a peaceful, free and fair poll in Abia on March 18.

Oha noted that governorship/state assembly poll “is more contentious” than the first round of the 2023 general election but notwithstanding all the stakeholders should join hands to make the poll peaceful.

He promised that the electoral body would not disappoint the people of Abia as it was already making adequate arrangement to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible governorship/state assembly election in Abia come March 18.

The state chairman of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Hon. Ceekay Igara, who spoke on behalf of the political parties, pledged that the political actors would play by the rules.

Bishop Onuoha of ADC, who spoke on behalf of the governorship candidates, commended the police and security agencies for their initiative to bring the politicians together to subscribe to peace.