Thirteen political parties and their candidates signed a peace accord in Ekiti State on Thursday, ahead of the June 20 governorship election.

The parties pledged to ensure a free, fair and violence-free poll.

The peace accord was facilitated by the National Peace Committee (NPC) with support from the European Union under its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme.

Parties that signed the accord include the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Young Progressives Party (YPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Action Democratic Party (ADP).

Others are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party (LP), African Action Congress (AAC) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The Chairman of the NPC, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the accord reflected a shared commitment by stakeholders to issue-based campaigns, political tolerance, respect for the rule of law, and rejection of violence, hate speech and electoral malpractice.

Mr Abubakar, represented by former Chief of Defence Staff Martin Agwai, urged political actors and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the election.

“No political ambition is worth the loss of lives or the destruction of peace in our communities. Elections will come and go, but the unity and stability of the state must endure,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, described the accord as a moral obligation to uphold non-violence and mutual respect.

“By signing this accord, we reaffirm our collective commitment to peaceful conduct and credible democratic processes. Let us ensure this election is remembered for unity and shared purpose, not division,” he said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, assured of adequate security, noting that personnel had been fully briefed on rules of engagement and would act with professionalism and respect for citizens’ rights.

He added that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, had put in place measures to guarantee a peaceful election.

Earlier, the NPC Project Manager, Asabe Ndahi, highlighted ongoing efforts, including stakeholder engagements and capacity-building initiatives, to support a credible and violence-free electoral process.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in the state, Adeniyi Philip, pledged that political parties would comply fully with the provisions of the accord.

 (NAN)