2023: Makinde, Adelabu, and Others Sign Peace Agreement in Oyo state
The Oyo State governorship contenders have vowed to maintain a level playing field before, during, and after the general elections in 2023.
The vow was made by the candidates at the signing of a peace pact in Ibadan; which was arranged by Mr. Adebowale Williams, the police chief of Oyo State.
The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, who also serves as the chairwoman of the Peace pact committee, spoke to the candidates on the value of peace and advised them to abstain from acts of violence before, during, and after the upcoming elections.
They were advised not to run a divisive campaign by Senator Ladoja because it might spark strife in the state.
He advised them to focus on issue-based lobbying for the good of everyone.
Senator Ladoja stressed the importance of free and fair elections and campaigns while advising the candidates to keep in mind that life will move on after the election.
The candidates’ peace pact, according to Dr. Raman Tella, the resident electoral commissioner for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State, indicated that the elections will be conducted peacefully.
The REC consequently urged Oyo State people who had not yet pickTo PVCs to do so because INEC still had 743,690 unclaimed cards on hand.
In order to lessen the strain people experience when trying to exercise their rights on election days, he continued, INEC in Oyo State had increased the number of polling places to 6,390.
Oyo Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde also maintained that the signing of the peace pact between the candidates would significantly contribute to securing and sustaining a peaceful environment before, during, and after elections.
Reacting, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr. Adebowale Williams said the signing of the peace pact became imperative as the nation navigated toward the general elections.
M,r Williams noted that there was the need for repeated emphasis on peaceful electioneering before, during and after the exercise to enable members of and the public to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation from anyone.
Bayo Adelabu of Accord, Popoola Josiah of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have signed a peace pact towards a violence-free 2023 elections.
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