September 16, 2022

The National Peace Committee (NPC) has invited political parties, presidential candidates in the 2023 presidential election and their spokespersons to sign peace accords that will commit them to issue-based campaigns.

According to an invitation letter, the candidates and the spokespersons have been invited to sign the first peace accord on Sept. 29 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

In a letter signed by the Chairman of NPC, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), the peace accords will be signed twice ahead of the 2023 general polls.

“The first signing is scheduled to happen at the start of the campaigns this September and the second in January of 2023 just before the elections.

“The first accord signing is intended to commit political parties, candidates and their spokespersons to conduct their campaigns (both online and offline) in a peaceful manner, devoid of ethnic, religious and hateful rhetoric that will incite violence and further aggravate the growing tension and insecurity in the nation,’’ the letter stated.

According to the letter, the essence of the accord is to promote issue-based campaigns.

“These interventions are to complement ongoing peace initiatives aimed at promoting a violence-free and inclusive electioneering process before, during and after the declaration of the final election results,” the letter stated. (NAN)