No fewer than 13 political parties yesterday signed a peace accord toward peaceful conduct of the July 16 Osun governorship election.

Some of the parties included the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Action Alliance (AA).

Speaking at the ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in Osogbo, Bishop Matthew Kukah, urged all political parties featuring at the election to work toward peace.

Kukah said Nigeria was in need of a peaceful environment and hence the need to encourage political actors to think toward peace.

He said that violence has been one of the fundamental threats to Nigeria’s democracy.

According to him, civil society organisations, religious groups, traditional institutions and other key actors have role to play in achieving peace in Nigeria.

Kukah urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political actors and other stakeholders to ensure that the election was free, fair and peaceful.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that the success of the peace accord depended on all stakeholders.

Yakubu said that INEC has taken steps to ensure credible election on July 16 and appealed to all candidates to strive hard to abide by the peace accord.

The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, promised that the election would witness an improved security situation over that of Ekiti.

Baba, represented by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Mr Johnson Kokumo, assured of a level playing ground for all candidates. (NAN)

Ayu Confident of PDP’s Victory on Saturday

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, has expressed confidence that the party would win Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

A statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba quotes Ayu as saying the overwhelming support of the party and its candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, was an indicator to the outcome of the election.

The PDP Chairman also expressed confidence that the on-going consultations and reconciliation efforts would ensure the success of the party in the 2023 general elections.

In another statement, Ologunagba disclosed that Ayu, the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar; his running-mate, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state and other leaders of the party would storm Osogbo for a mega rally in support of Adeleke.

Other party leaders expected to be at the rally, according to him, include serving PDP governors and party elders such as former Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun.

He quoted Ayu as urging all stakeholders in Osun state and residents to come out en mass for the mega-rally and identify with Adeleke, its governorship candidate.

Ologunagba also disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had been duly informed of the official resumption of duty by Ayu as the National Chairman of the PDP following his return from a short vacation abroad.

He said that on his resumption, Ayu met with members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) at the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ologunagba said that Ayu, at the meeting, commended the Deputy National Chairman (North), Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, for effectively managing the affairs of the party during his vacation.

Ayu also applauded the members of the NWC, other organs and critical stakeholders of the party for the cohesiveness and unity of purpose that was maintained in the party. (NAN)

IPAC Cautions Against Intimidation, Violence

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has cautioned candidates featuring in the July 16 Osun governorship election against all forms of intimidation and violence.

Addressing a news conference yesterday in Osogbo, the IPAC National Chairman, Mr Yabagi Sani, said that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the conduct of the election was peaceful.

Sani said that all forms of molestation, intimidation and harassment of voters or electoral officials must not be allowed.

He also appealed to the security agencies to provide adequate security for the poll and tasked security agents deployed for the election to ensure professionalism and ethical standards.

Sani also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that the election was free, fair and credible

“INEC must give hope to the people of Osun, the rest of the nation and the world at large, the era of daylight robbery of the people’s right to choose their representatives is over in Nigeria.

“To us in IPAC, Osun election is another litmus test for INEC after similar election in Ekiti, “Sani said.

He also appealed to the electorate not to allow themselves to be intimidated or deceived by selling their votes.

“To the people of Osun, the message from IPAC, is that, they must resist all attempts to be deceived, intimidated or induced into compromising their fundamental, inalienable right to freely elect the political leaders of their choice.

” In other words, for whatever reasons, the electorate must be guided by their conscience, their obligations to the advancement of their welfare, their security, the happiness and prosperity of the future generations,” he said.

Sani said that the signing of Peace Accord by the political parties was a sign of commitment toward ensuring that the election was peaceful, credible and devoid of violence. (NAN)