By: Celestine Ukah
CEPEJ National Coordinator, Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade
Ahead of the March 18, 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly poll, The Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice , CEPEJ, has ensured that political parties participating in the forthcoming Delta Governorship Poll and their House of Assembly candidates sign a peace accord in order to maintain peace during and after the election.
This achievement was recorded Wednesday March 8 during CEPEJ/PIND Multi-Stakeholder Forum and Signing of Peace Accord at PTI Conference Centre in Effurun, Uvwie LGA, Near Warri, Delta State,
While addressing the political parties participating at the event, National Coordinator Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade said the essence of the program and the peace accord is all about the need for Peaceful poll in Delta State and Nigeria at large.
Chief Mulade noted that CEPEJ and its partner PIND is working hard in making sure there’s peace in Niger Delta hence the meeting with the political parties in the state which span across the three senatorial districts in Delta state, he reminded the people about the importance of peaceful coexistence, noting that there’s life after election and that no matter the number of contestants only one person can emerge as the winner, adding that There is the common saying that what you don’t get today; you will get tomorrow as long as there is life. Also, that a display of maturity is patience.
Eight political parties across Select-Eight local government areas in Delta signed the peace accord to reflect peaceful coexistence and election peaceful out come in the various LGAs selected that reflects the entire state in the upcoming Governorship and State constituencies election.
CEPEJ eight-select local government parties that signed the peace accord include : Ethiope East, Oshimili South, Sapele, Udu, Uvwie, Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Warri North LGAs, they squally identified same LGAs as the areas the PIND intervention programme seeks to engage INEC, security agencies, youths at risk (ex-militants), opinion leaders and leaders of thought, on the prevalence of election violence and how to mitigate it going forward.
The political parties that signed the peace accord as prepared by CEPEJ are: A, AA, ADP, APP, AAC, ADC, APC, APGA, APM, BP, LP, NRM, NNPP, PDP, PRP, SDP, YPP and ZLP.
Amb. Prince highlighted the role played by PIND in supporting peaceful elections in the State and across the Niger Delta region.
He Pointed out that peace is everybody’s responsibility and commitment of all stakeholders, to take action by monitoring, reporting and mitigating election violence incidents, before, during and after the elections.
Program officer, representing the Peacebuilding Manager, Dr. David Udofia, commended PIND for supporting non violence election project as part of its peacebuilding efforts: as an organisation that believes in the commitment and partnership of stakeholders in ensuring a peaceful society.
He commended CEPEJ and called on all stakeholders, political parties and candidates to adhere to the Peace Accord signed and play by the rules, to advise their supporters against perpetrating violence, during and after the elections.
Amb. Prince D. Ebilade
P4P State Programs/ Admin, for the Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta, PIND Foundation also commended the organizers for the program.
“Communiqué issued at the end of
CEPEJ/PIND Multi-Stakeholder Forum and Signing of Peace Accord held in PTI Conference Centre Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State – Toward Nonviolent Elections in the Niger Delta 2023 March 8, 2023 Communique Center for Peace and Environmental Justice with financial support from Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) held a Multi-Stakeholder Forum and Signing of Peace Accord in PTI Conference Centre, Effurun in Uwvie Local Government Area.
“Participants their large numbers were drawn from various communities, agencies,and organization in the 8 local government areas namelg: Ethiope East, Oshimili South, Sapele, Udu, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Uvwie and Warri North. The Forum which held on the 8th March, 2023, was geared towards preventing and mitigating election violence during the 2023 general elections.
“ISSUES DISCUSSED
“Various papers and goodwill messages were presented. These included, voter’s education, the role of the voters to ensure violence free polls, the need for stakeholders to work with INEC and security agencies to guarantee violence free polls.
“Participants however raised concern over pre-election violence in the targeted 8 LGAs, noting that the LGAs was a flash point for elections violence.
CHALLENGES:
” It was unfortunate that the critical stakeholders were unable to make to the venue due to naira redesign policy which affected the turnout of the participants Resolutions at the meeting included: Participants appealed to INEC officials and security agents to ensure a level playing field for all the contestants by ensuring that they do not take side with any political party.Participants equally pledged to eschew any act of violence and not succumb to any bait to be used for political violence, adding that they would sensitize their families, friends and organization members to embrace peaceful polls.
“Participants stated that the poor distribution of election materials at the polling units were prevalent in previous elections and urged the electoral umpire to act promptly by ensuring the early arrival of electoral materials in all polling units to enable the process to kick start on time.
“They called on security agencies to beef up security during the exercise by deploying more personnel to polling units so that voters would exercise their franchise without harassment and intimidation by political opponents. Participants were worried over the no transmission of Presidential and National Assembly results to INEC Server and failure of some BVAS machine in some polling units and advised INEC to ensure that the BVAS function well and backup battery as well as transmit results.
“Finally, they advised INEC to ensure that the votes of Nigerians count”
