Governorship candidates of different political parties in Benue state, on Tuesday, signed a peace pact to show their commitment to violent-free elections in the state throughout the 2019 general elections.
The peace agreement was signed at an event organized in Makurdi, the state capital, by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Benue State in conjunction with Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, HD, and National Orientation Agency, NOA, supported by the Federal Government of Germany.
Speaking during the event, Benue State Gov. Samuel Ortom charged INEC to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and avoid all forms of temptations to manipulate the 2019 elections.
Gov. Ortom noted that the peaceful nature of any election was dependent on the umpire body and security agencies that are expected to ensure peace and order to allow the wishes of the citizens expressed through the ballot.
Ortom said he was totally committed to peace and violent-free elections, as well as the peace and security of the state.
Reading the content of the pact earlier, INEC Resident Commissioner, Dr Nentewe Yilwatda said the ambition of the contestants was not worth the life of any citizen of the state, hence the need to commit to peaceful polls.
Yilwatda said because of the violence witnessed in previous elections, the commission was poised to getting all stakeholders to ensure that this forthcoming one was peaceful.
Also speaking, the representative of Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Dr Babatunde Afolabi, stressed the use of the instrumentality of dialogue to successive peaceful polls and enjoined all parties involved to abide by the content of the pact for the overall good of the State.
Benue State Police Commissioner, CP Omololu Bishi assured all political parties that the police was committed to the security, unbiased conduct before, during and after the elections.
The Commissioner of Police who is new in the State called on supporters of political parties to submit fire arms in their possessions to the nearest police station, urging political parties to notify the police before carrying on rallies to avoid breach of peace.
The Paramount Ruler of the Tiv and Chairman Benue State Traditional Council, His Majesty Prof James Ayatse challenged all the candidates and political parties to practically demonstrate the peace pact signed, even as he urged them to adopt issues based campaigns instead of discussing other candidates.
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The Tor Tiv who assured INEC of the apolitical stance of the traditional institution towards the 2019 elections appealed to supporters of the various candidates to maintain decorum, emphasizing that, “the land will be angry with any candidate that would breach the peace pact.
The Next Edition reports that 29 out of the 32 governorship candidates and chairmen of their political parties signed the peace pact to the witness of traditional rulers, heads of security agencies in the state, CSOs and others.
Three out of the 32 governorship candidates including the candidate of the APC, Emmanuel Jime were absent at the Peace meeting.
