ELECTION VIOLENCE : POLITICAL PARTIES SIGNS PEACE ACCORD IN KEBBI.
FROM : AYODELE AJOGE, BIRNIN-KEBBI.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in conjunction with the Police, other Security Agencies and Political Stakeholders across the State last weekend signed the peace accord to ensure free poll Exercise during and after the Elections.
The State Residence Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud Bello expressed that the essential of conducting peace accord is to underscore the importance of having a very peaceful inclusive election which will be presided over by a peaceful conducted campaign.
Bello explained that individually and politically parties and candidates here have fair of God in us, we have undertaking to be law abiding and to conduct ourselves peacefully hence law was enacted years back to create, regulating the conduct of electioneering by candidates and political parties, that is the reason why we are here to bind our selves to a written deed so that at the end of the day we shall be hold responsible for violating what we have agree to abide with it.
The The Resident Electoral Commissioner stated that only 11 political parties out of the eighteen registered parties in the State were present at the peace accord signing.
''We have sent our invitation to all the 18 register political parties and they have knowledge received, the attendance here today is however very impressive." he said.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Magaji Kontagora, stated that, the Nigeria Police would maintained neutrality in accordance with the electoral act
Kontagora, assured that, the Police would always be more careful during electoral security deployment, and exhibit a high degree of professionalism and fairness in dealing with political parties.
He therefore called on all security agencies to adopt professional orientation that encompasses democratic values, respect for human rights and dignity as well as mindful of the duty giving to them by the law to protect all electorates against illegal act and to also carry out their duties without discrimination.
The State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the state Commissioner for works, Abubakar Cika Ladan at the meeting commended the efforts of INEC and Police Command for organising such meeting of political parties that will ensure a peaceful coexistence among the people of the state.
He also commended the commissioner of Police for publicly stressing on their neutrality during the elections and hoped they would practicalised their neutrality so that every body will be satisfied with outcome of the election