By Idowu Adebomi
Ahead of the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji and 11 other governorship candidates on Thursday signed a peace accord, pledging to ensure a violence-free electoral process before, during, and after the poll.
The peace pact, held in Ado-Ekiti, was organized by the National Peace Committee in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with key political and security stakeholders in attendance.
The agreement was witnessed by a former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was represented by General Martin Luther Agwai; the Convener of the committee, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; and the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, among others.
Speaking shortly after signing the accord, Governor Oyebanji said the prevailing atmosphere of peace across the state reflected the political maturity of stakeholders and the commitment of political parties to a credible election.
The governor noted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently concluded its local government campaign tour across the state without any record of violence, stressing that this development reinforced confidence in a peaceful governorship election.
According to him, the calm political atmosphere being witnessed ahead of the election is unprecedented in the history of the state.
“Our party just concluded a tour of local governments in the state and it was violence-free. Ekiti State will be 30 years old in October this year, and this is the first time an election will be just a few days away with this level of peace,” he said.
Oyebanji urged all political parties and candidates to honor the peace accord, not only by appending their signatures but also by demonstrating commitment through responsible conduct before and after the election.
He added that only a peaceful environment would enable elected leaders to effectively serve the people.
Earlier, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, described the peace accord as more than a ceremonial exercise, saying it represents a moral obligation before Nigerians and the international community.
He charged political actors to translate their commitments into actions capable of promoting tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and respect for the electoral process.
Amupitan also assured residents that the commission remains committed to conducting a free, fair, and transparent governorship election in the state.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, assured residents of adequate security arrangements for the election, saying the Nigeria Police Force has intensified operational deployments, intelligence gathering, and the strategic positioning of personnel across the state.
The Police Chief warned that security agencies will deal decisively with anyone attempting to disrupt the electoral process or cause a breakdown of law and order.
He also urged eligible voters to come out in large numbers on election day to perform their civic responsibility without fear, assuring them of maximum protection throughout the electoral process.
