The eleven gubernatorial candidates in Ekiti State have signed an agreement to maintain peace during the conduct of the state’s election scheduled to hold on Saturday.
The event, which was held on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti, attracted party stakeholders, eminent personalities from across the state.
The peace accord was facilitated by the National Peace Committee, a non-governmental organization, under the leadership of former Head of state, General Abdusalami Abubakar.
Speaking, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, urged voters in the state to take advantage of the off-season elections to vote and install leaders of their choice while advising residents of the state to get their voters card in order to enable them exercise their voting rights on the election day.
He said, “The intervention of the National Peace Committee has contributed immensely towards the peaceful conduct of previous elections in Edo, Ondo and Anambra State. We appeal to all the political actors to ensure that they do not see the signing of the peace accord as a mere formality and a photo opportunity. May the friendship exhibited here follow you through the election”.
Speaking further, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated that the intervention of NPC has contributed in no small measure to the sustenance of peace in the country while adding that no credible election could be achieved in a violent and hostile environment.
The Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ayodele Adejuwon, said the monarchs in the state would not tolerate any bloodshed during the poll while calling on Ekiti people to vote without violence.
Political parties present at the event included SDP, ADC, APC, ADP, APGA, APM, Accord, AAC, Labour Party, APP, NNPP, NRM, PDP, PRP, SDP, YPP and ZLP.
Packaged By Emmanuel Adeniran
