Political parties set to participate in the upcoming July 13 local government elections in Delta State have committed to maintaining peace by signing a peace accord on Monday.
This important event took place at the headquarters of the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, with key figures in attendance, including the state Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, representatives from various law enforcement agencies, and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council.
The peace accord was endorsed by the Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Labour Party, and other political parties, along with their chairmanship candidates. This initiative comes amid growing concerns over election-related violence and the need for a peaceful electoral process.
Chairman of DSIEC, Dr. Jerry Agbaike, praised the conduct of the 10 participating political parties, highlighting the peaceful nature of Deltans. He stated, “So far, we are impressed with the conduct of the 10 participating political parties and this is not surprising because Deltans are generally peaceful. Peace is an integral part of our culture.”
He further emphasized the importance of formalizing this peace through the accord, saying, “We are, however, not unmindful of the need to translate this enviable peace quality into paper which is the essence of this peace accord.”
Dr. Agbaike urged all political parties to maintain decorum and avoid inflammatory language, noting, “Participating political parties must conduct themselves with decorum and endeavour to avoid verbal altercations that bother on hate speech, blackmail and vendetta as these are the ingredients that provoke anger and incite violence.”
He also warned against violent activities such as thuggery and ballot box snatching, advising all parties to accept election results gracefully and seek legal recourse if necessary. “Other vices that incite violence include thuggery, ballot box snatching, etc. We should embrace the outcome of election results and congratulate one another, and if need arises seek peaceful resolution at the relevant law courts,” he said.
The significance of the peace accord was underscored by the presence of high-ranking security officials, who are prepared to ensure the elections are conducted safely. Dr. Agbaike remarked, “As you can see, the seriousness of this Peace Accord is evinced by the eminent presence of Heads security agencies in the state. They have the wherewithal and advanced technology to comb the security-elections nexus, anticipate, plan and put in place strategies to neutralise or diminish potential risks posed for the conduct of the 2024 elections.”
