INEC promises credible election, as parties sign peace accord in Edo, Ekiti

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said the commission is fully ready to conduct credible elections during the February 25 and March 11 polls.

The INEC Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga stated this during the signing of the peace accord by political parties organised by the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force.

He said everybody including the political class has a role to play in ensuring that the coming election is successful by playing by the rules.

“Some of these rules are set by the law; some are set by INEC while others are set by the political parties. If we breach any of these rules, it would affect the success of the election.

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“The election’s success depends on all of us. The people conducting the election are Nigerians, those providing logistic support, security, contesters and voters, results collators and announcers are Nigerians. If we fail in our duties and responsibility to the nation, the election stands the risk of not being successful.”

Meanwhile, nine political parties in Ekiti State have signed a peace accord to ensure peaceful conduct during the February 25 and March 11 general elections in the state.

The parties are: Accord Party, Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Action Alliance, African Democratic Congress. The rest are  the Zenith Labour Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressive Party and New Nigerians People Party.

At the signing ceremony, the Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami said that the essence of the exercise was to commit the political parties in ensuring the general election was violence-free.

Prof. Salami urged the leadership of the parties to strictly respect and abide by the rules and regulations stipulated by the accord, adding that any breach of the accord would attract consequences.

He tasked the political parties, their candidates and supporters to shun actions that could threaten the peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the election.