Former Nigerian Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), has called on politicians to stop the practice of vote-buying. Abdulsalami made the statement at the signing of a Peace Accord for the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, set for November 16.
The ceremony, held on Friday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, saw candidates from 17 political parties commit to peaceful conduct in the election. Addressing the candidates, Abdulsalami urged them to embrace the results if deemed free, fair, and credible, and to pursue peaceful avenues for any disputes.
“I urge all politicians signing this accord to commit fully to its principles, to avoid violence and intimidation, and to uphold sportsmanship as a key trait of good leadership,” he stated. “It is essential for Nigerian citizens to choose their leaders free from inducements or prejudice, and politicians must end the menace of vote trading.”
Abdulsalami also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its preparatory efforts and urged the electoral body to ensure a peaceful voting process. He lauded the Nigeria Police Force and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for their role in maintaining security, emphasizing, “I urge them to remain vigilant in averting violence and maintaining peace as we approach the election.”
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, also praised the NPC’s work in fostering peace among parties and candidates. He highlighted that seven peace accords have been signed in off-cycle elections since 2020. “Signing the peace accord alone won’t guarantee a peaceful election; real commitment to the accord’s principles is essential,” Yakubu stressed, urging candidates to ensure their supporters honor the agreement.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sylvester Alabi, announced plans to deploy five officers to each of the state’s 3,933 polling units and 203 wards to ensure security for electoral materials, INEC officials, and voters.
Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) pledged adherence to the peace accord and commended Ondo’s peaceful environment throughout the campaign period. “We will all abide by the terms of the peace accord. Elections come and go, but our state will remain. Let’s maintain peace during and after the election,” Aiyedatiwa said, urging his fellow candidates to respect democratic principles.
The Peace Accord ceremony signals a unified commitment to a peaceful electoral process as Ondo residents prepare to cast their votes in the governorship election.
