Ahead of
the official signing of the Peace Accord by political actors participating in
the Ekiti State governorship election, the European Union,
through its European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria
(EU-SDGN) programme, alongside critical stakeholders, has commenced the
“Socialisation of the Peace Accord” programme in Ado-Ekiti.
The
initiative, driven under the political party support component of the EU-SDGN
programme by the National Peace Committee in collaboration with The Kukah
Centre, began on Tuesday and is expected to run from May 12 to May 15, 2026.
The
programme forms part of broader EU-SDGN-supported interventions aimed at
promoting peaceful elections, democratic accountability, and inclusive
political participation across Nigeria, while intensifying calls for peaceful
conduct ahead of the Ekiti governorship poll. The event brought
together critical stakeholders to deliberate on electoral peace and
the importance of sustaining a violence-free political atmosphere before,
during, and after the election.
Activities
commenced with a presentation on the “Overview of Electoral Context”
delivered by the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer of The Kukah
Centre, Deborah Obafemi, who highlighted the need for political actors and
citizens to uphold democratic values and avoid actions capable of undermining
the credibility of the electoral process.
The
programme also featured a presentation on the Peace Accord delivered by the
Project Manager of The Kukah Centre, Barrister Asabe Ndahi, who stressed the
importance of dialogue, tolerance, and issue-based campaigns among political
parties and their supporters.
Speaking
with journalists after the event, Ndahi said the organisers provided
participants with a political and security overview of Ekiti State,
including areas identified as potential flashpoints
for electoral violence based on data and observed trends.
According
to her, participants were also taken through the clauses of the Peace Accord
and enlightened on the penalties attached to violations of the agreement.
“The
Peace Accord is a document that can be enforced because it reflects the
provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, as
well as other extant laws, including the Criminal Code and IPAC regulations,”
she said.
Ndahi
added that political parties represented at the programme demonstrated a high
level of compliance and acceptance of the accord, noting that stakeholders are
now fully aware of their responsibilities and commitments to the people
of Ekiti State and Nigerians at large.
Also
speaking, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Adeniji Akinropo
Philip, affirmed the readiness of political parties to ensure peaceful conduct
during the June 20, 2026, governorship election.
He
said member parties had commenced sensitisation of their supporters on the
guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission,
security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
Participants
later engaged in an interactive session where issues relating
to election security, voter education, misinformation, and political
violence were discussed.
Stakeholders
at the session advocated stronger collaboration among political parties, civil
society organisations, security agencies, and the electorate to sustain
peaceful democratic participation in the state.
Delivering
the closing remarks, another Project Manager at The Kukah Centre, Regina Dogo,
urged participants to serve as ambassadors of peace in their respective
communities, stressing that credible elections can only thrive in an atmosphere
of unity and mutual respect.
The
event concluded with a renewed commitment by participants to promote peaceful
coexistence and support initiatives aimed at ensuring a credible and
violence-free governorship election in Ekiti State.
