WFD: Signing Peace Accord before Elections Makes Democracy Look like Warfare

Tasks political parties on upholding their constitutions, code of conduct

The Westminister Foundation for Democracy (WFD) has urged political leaders in Nigeria to render signing of “peace accords” during elections unnecessary by committing themselves to upholding their parties’ constitutions and the Political Parties Code of Conduct in order to entrench the culture of peaceful, free and fair elections.

This task was delivered by the Country Director of WFD, Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, during the ongoing retreat for the leadership of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos with the theme: “Development of IPAC Strategic Plan 2024-2028.”

The retreat commenced on Monday, February 19, and would run till Wednesday, February 21.

The IPAC is the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria, which was established under the Political Parties Code of Conduct in 2006.

Olurunmola said: “We hope that before we leave here that we will have a solid plan that we can work on between now and 2027, so that when we get to 2027 there will be no need to sign the peace accord and that political parties will see compliance with their own constitutions and the code of conduct for political parties as primary objective they need to realise.”

He emphasised that the IPAC was set up to enhance cohesion among political parties by promoting compliance with party constitution and the code of conduct and enhancing conducive environment that would make democracy a preferable system of government for Nigerians.

“But the question that we need to ask ourselves is: has that been the case? And again speaking as a person I feel so terrible when political parties are brought together to sign ‘peace accord’ when there is already a code of conduct of political parties.

“We sign ‘peace accord’ at the national and state levels. When governorship elections were conducted in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States, we had ‘peace accord’ signed at the state level.

“We are not supposed to be at war. It is only in war situation that you sign peace accord. Democracy should not be about war,” he said.