Ekiti Election: APC, PDP, LP yet to sign peace pact

24 hours into the June 21‎ gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, the signatures of the three main contenders are conspicuously missing in a non-violence/peace pact for governorship candidates and traditional rulers in the state.
The peace pact is a creation of the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP,‎ following a meeting with political parties, gubernatorial candidates,‎ traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations and security personnel to a non-violent, free and fair election.
The refusal of the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Kayode‎ Fayemi; the Labour Party, LP, Opeyemi Bamidele; and Peoples‎ Democratic Party, PDP, Ayodele Fayose to sign the pact is an‎ indication of the deep-seated acrimony that has characterised their‎ campaigns.
Violent clashes have broken out between the three parties with each of‎ them pointing accusing fingers at the other.
“The meeting was conveyed to get gubernatorial candidates, in the presence of the traditional, religious leaders and other relevant‎ stakeholders, commit to an electoral pact to avoid all act, including violence, improper conducts and illegal acts that could throw the‎ state into confusion or chaos Pre, Election Day, and Post-Election
phases of the gubernatorial,” reads a statement from CDD.
The CDD observed that incessant violent clashes between supporters of the candidates is a disregard for the 2013 Independent National‎ Electoral Commission, INEC, Political Parties Code of Conduct that they agreed to.
The meeting hereby agreed amongst other things to “create an enabling‎ environment for the conduct of peaceful, free and fair election in‎ 2014 is an imperative for democratic consolidation, improvement and development in the state.”
“The meeting also agreed that “electoral violence, impunity and‎ injustice are not challenges whose persistence cannot be effectively‎ stopped through collective leadership efforts and change in mindset.”
Candidates that signed the pact are: Vincent Ajayi, Accord Party, Opeyemi Akinyemi, Action Alliance, Victor Osekita, Alliance for Democracy, Peter Bamigbade, Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Bola Oroko‎, African Democratic Congress, Adebayo Ogunlola, African People Alliance, Ayodele Olayinka, Citizen Popular Party, and Ajibola‎ Akinwale, Mega Progressive Party.
Others are: Emmanuel Ilesanmi, National Conscience Party, Banjo‎ Gboyega, People for Democratic Change, Goke Animasaun, Progressive‎ People Alliance, Gbenga Adekunle, Peoples Party of Nigeria, and Philip Adeniji, United Democratic Party.
(PREMIUM TIMES)