From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Governorship candidates of political parties in Abia State contesting the March 18 Guber polls have signed a peace agreement, committing to conduct themselves and their supporters in a peaceful manner during the governorship election.
The peace accord, organized by Abia State Police Command, was signed at the Police Officers’ Mess in Umuahia, with many of the candidates in attendance.
In his address, Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Bala said his Command organized the peace accord to ensure a peaceful environment during the guber and House of Assembly elections.
While promising his Command was working with other security agencies to ensure peaceful conduct of polls, he assured that officers and men of the Command were trained for the tasks of ensuring peace,
CP Bala tasked Abians to conduct themselves in a responsible manner while voting for the candidates of their choice.
Administrative Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abia State, Clement Oha promised the Commission would deliver credible elections to Abians, assuring that Ad-hoc staff have been adequately trained for the exercise.
He cautioned against violence, stressing that the Governorship and House of Assembly elections would be tougher than the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“There were substantial peaceful elections during Presidential and National Assembly elections in Abia State but this election is more contentious because it like a neighbour-to-neighbour thing. It is a grassroots affair but we are prepared to deliver credible elections.”
The Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Mr Ceakay Igara appealed to INEC to ensure free and fair polls.
He advised guber candidates to checkmate the behaviour of their supporters and be sportsmen even in victory or defeat.
The candidate of Action Peoples Party (APP), Hon Mascot Uzor Kalu charged INEC to ensure the early arrival of election materials on March 18, to avoid a repeat of what happened on February 25.
The candidates who participated in the peace signing agreement included Okey Ahaiwe of PDP, Chief Ikechi Emenike of APC, Bishop Sunday Onuoha of ADC, Ukpai Iroh of NNPP, Mascot Uzor Kalu of APP, Enyinnaya Nwafor of YPP while Ceakay Igara, chairman of Labour Party, signed on behalf of Dr Alex Otti, his candidate, while Augustine Ehiemere signed on behalf of Prof Greg Ibe of APGA.