The candidate of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday boycotted the signing of Peace Accord among all presidential candidates for the elections.
The News
Agency of Nigeria reports that the leadership and officials of the PDP also
boycotted the event, which was organised by the National Peace Committee headed
by the former Head of State, retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The Peace
Accord is an undertaking by all the presidential candidates to ensure peaceful
and rancour-free campaigns before, during and after the 2019 general elections.
The candidates
are also expected to avoid hate speech, fake news or any act capable of causing
socio-political unrest in the country.
NAN reports
that the event was attended by the presidential candidate of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as over 68 other
presidential candidates.
Other
dignitaries at the event included former Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu
Gowon, who presented a keynote address and Head of the European Union
Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen.
In his
remarks, Karlsen reiterated that the European Union was not in support of any
of the presidential candidates in Nigeria’s general elections in 2019.
He, however,
stressed the need for all the candidates to abide by the rules and regulations
governing the electoral process in the country.
NAN reports
that a similar Peace Accord was signed between former President Goodluck
Jonathan and the then APC Presidential Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, prior to
the conduct of the 2015 presidential elections.
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