Peace Accord Should Include Affidavit -CTA boss
By Chima Azubuike
The Executive Director of Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, has urged organisers of peace accord to include signing of affidavit.
Nwadishi, made this disclosure during the North-East stakeholders’ meeting on the 2023 general elections organised by Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA).
Our Correspondent reports that peace accord is a measure put in place to ensure peaceful electioneering process with eminent Nigerians as members
According to her, inclusion of affidavit would give bite to the mere signatures by office seekers in the country, stressing that as it currently stands it ceremonial and compliance just optional.
She said, “It is important at this juncture to remind the politicians of the Peace Accord that they voluntarily signed. This has become important as the heat of the elections and campaigns have intensified.
“It is reported that within a month – 8th October to 9th November, a total of 52 election-related acts of violence were recorded in 22 states. This number is scary and must not be allowed to fester.
“We call on politicians to respect the peace accord that they voluntarily signed, reign in their supporters, respect other candidates, stop the use of abusive words and above all, shun violence as we have only one country that we can call our own.
“Affidavit should be sworn after signing peace accord. To do something about the ceremonial signing.”
While lamenting the rate of defections in the country, Nwadishi disclosed that failure of political parties to have known ideologies could be the cause.
“Lack of political ideologies the reason, What we have is more less political associations,” Nwadishi said.
Also speaking, Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Gombe State Joseph Shinga, who was represented by the Secretary Solomon Ayanwale, urged religious leaders to deviate from endorsing candidates of political parties.
“Because among our members we have APC, PDP and Labour party. It will be unfair to force anyone to vote for anyone based on religious leanings,” he said.
Also speaking, Head of Independent National Electoral Commission Voter Education Gombe Ibrahim Nuhu said no fewer than 89,880 PVCs are uncollected based on statistics of 22nd January 2023.
Nuhu disclosed that the number were based on remainder from Permanent Voters Card of 2019 and the recent enrolment.
“2019 uncollected PVCs is 62,799, so far after sensitisation people were able to collect about 8,682 and for the new PVCs that we received which is almost 176,795, new PVCs collected from Abuja. During collection period people have collected 141,022. We have a balance of about 35,773 and the old one we have a balance of 54,107. This update is based on 22nd of January 2023,” he said.
Our Correspondent reports that the stakeholders’ meeting had Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Police, state and zonal coordinators of CTA in attendance.
