WFD: Signing Peace Accord before Elections Makes Democracy Look like Warfare

•Tasks political parties on upholding their constitutions, code of conduct

Dike onwuamaeze

The Westminister Foundation for Democracy (WFD) has urged political leaders in Nigeria to render signing of “peace accords” during elections unnecessary by committing themselves to upholding their parties’ constitutions and the Political Parties Code of Conduct in order to entrench the culture of peaceful, free and fair elections. 

This task was delivered by the Country Director of WFD, Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, during the ongoing retreat for the leadership of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos with the theme: “Development of IPAC Strategic Plan 2024-2028.”

The retreat commenced on Monday, February 19, and would run till Wednesday, February 21.

The IPAC is the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, which was established under the Political Parties Code of Conduct in 2006.

Olurunmola said: “We hope that before we leave here that we will have a solid plan that we can work on between now and 2027, so that when we get to 2027 there will be no need to sign the peace accord and that political parties will see compliance with their own constitutions and the code of conduct for political parties as primary objective they need to realise.”

He emphasised that the IPAC was set up to enhance cohesion among political parties by promoting compliance with party constitution and the code of conduct and enhancing conducive environment that would make democracy a preferable system of government for Nigerians.

“But the question that we need to ask ourselves is: has that been the case? And again speaking as a person I feel so terrible when political parties are brought together to sign ‘peace accord’ when there is already a code of conduct of political parties.

“We sign ‘peace accord’ at the national and state levels. When governorship elections were conducted in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States, we had ‘peace accord’ signed at the state level.

“We are not supposed to be at war. It is only in war situation that you sign peace accord. Democracy should not be about war,” he said.

Olorunmola also urged the new executive of IPAC to influence reforms that would make party system and electoral processes better entrenched so that Nigeria would become a template for other countries.  

He assured that WFD would continue to work with political parties in Nigeria because they are the only platforms to contest elective positions, form a government and prepared and train citizens for political leadership. 

“Our goal is for democracy to thrive and for development to be seen as happening in this country,” he said.

The Chairman of IPAC, Mr. Yusuf Dantalle, commended WFD for its thoughtfulness and zeal in consolidating and advancing democracy in Nigeria. 

Dantalle said: “Leaders of political parties, which IPAC represents, have enormous task in strengthening the nation’s democracy and upholding internal party democracy.

“This is the only way to avoid undue political upheavals that can impede our constitutional governance.”

The Director General of IPAC, Mr. Chinedu Obi, said that the retreat would produce a strategic plan for an inclusive, viable and sustainable council to “establish IPAC as a robust and dynamic platform that fosters collaboration among political parties, arms and tiers of government, civil society organisations, development partners and stakeholders for the betterment of the democratic process and deepening democracy in Nigeria.”  

Obi added that IPAC would “serve as a unifying force for political parties, promoting dialogue and cooperation on issues of national interest” and be a “forum for constructive engagement, idea-sharing, and consensus-building among diverse political ideologies.”

The Executive Director of System Strategy and Policy Lab, Dr. Murtala Adogi Mohammed, who presented a paper during the retreat on “Leadership, Development and Emerging Issues,” said that the IPAC needed survival strategy, protection and direction from those that would like to attack and scatter it.

Mohammed also pointed out that the IPAC should focus on policy analysis that would evaluate the consequences and implications of proposed government policies to aid their effective implementations.  

A Development Consultant, Mr. Jide Ojo, urged the current executive of IPAC to do a thorough SWOT analysis enhance the council.