Anambra Guber: Soludo, Ukachukwu, Moghalu, others to Sign Peace Accord November 3
By Praise Chinecherem
The National Peace Committee (NPC) has restated its commitment to ensuring conduct of free, fair, credible and peaceful election ahead of November 8 gubernatorial poll in Anambra state.
Executive Director, The Kukah Center and Head of Secretariat, NPC, Fr. Atta Barkindo gave the assurance on Tuesday in Awka during pre-election engagement with stakeholders.
He said the engagement followed rising security concerns, polarized political rhetoric and economic hardship threatening to undermine public confidence and voter turnout in the state.
Barkindo called on all actors involved in the electoral process to shun acts of violence, saying no blood of any citizen of the state was worth spilling as a result of the exercise.
He said, “We’re here to work with you people who are on ground and understand the politics and cultural make-up of the state and to seek your advise on how to consolidate the peace in the state.
“Secondly, is to inform you of the November 3 scheduled date signing of the peace accord on November 3 ahead the poll. Members of the NPC will arrive the state next week with INEC officials for the sighing which has become a ritual.
“For us this is critical because this emboldens the Committee with the morale authority to intervene in any untoward situation. We pray nothing of such happens
“This state will outlive all of us. In 50 years time, all of us in this room will exist and a whole new set of Anambra people will occupy the space.
“We therefore have a natural responsibility to pass on a very peaceful and decent state to a generation yet unborn. That’s mainly why we’re here.
“Most of the leaders in the Committee are in their prime, and have worked at highest levels in the country; yet they have the interest of the country at heart. We pray Nigeria remains one united entity
Earlier, Project Manager, Bar Asabe Ndahi said the engagement was targeted at promoting peaceful, inclusive, and credible elections in the State as well as provide platform for dialogue among political leaders, security agencies, civil society and traditional institutions.
“The meeting is also to socialize and build consensus on the 2025 Anambra Peace Accord to be signed before the polls and to strengthen coordination between political actors, INEC, and security agencies to mitigate election-related violence.
“Besides, we are here to review early warning signals through the state’s Independent State-Based Peace Architecture (ISPA) and the NPC’s Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) system.
