February 19, (THEWILL) – As part of the activities geared towards the 2023 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has signed a peace accord with political parties in Bayelsa State.
Those present at the event were chairmen of all the registered political parties, traditional rulers, security agencies, religious leaders, civil societies and Non-governmental organisations.
Speaking during the event, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Bayelsa State, Dr Emmanuel Alex Hart, said, “This action will demonstrate to their followers and supporters that irrespective of differences in their political views and inclinations they are first Bayelsans and elections will come and go, but Bayelsa will remain.
“At the moment, we are left with just two (2) out of fourteen (14) activities. They are the suspension of campaigns by political parties twenty-four (24) hours before the election and casting of ballots on election day. In the course of our preparations and execution of the activities, the Commission has constantly engaged stakeholders to keep them abreast of the progress made as it works tirelessly to deliver on its mandate as enshrined in the Constitution, strictly guided by the Electoral Act 2022, as well as its Guidelines.”
Hart added that the duty of conducting free, fair, peaceful, transparent and credible elections that is acceptable to all, is a task that INEC cannot achieve without the cooperation and active participation of all stakeholders.
He said the activities of political parties from the moment the election timetable is published give a clue to how the political space will be before, during and after the elections.
According to Hart, If deliberate efforts are not made to check the excesses of some key players in the process the credibility and peace required for the success of the elections may be greatly compromised or outrightly jeopardised.
He also disclosed that INEC recently conducted a mock trial of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in 12 polling units in the three (3) Senatorial Districts and it was successful.
“We just concluded the training of SPOs, POs and APOs. The movement of non-sensitive electoral materials to the various Local Government Areas is ongoing,” he added.
Also speaking, Head of Legal, Mrs Ayo Obaseki, said the Commission can only deliver effective electoral services where the environment is peaceful and secure and the essence of the agreement (pact) is to ensure that persons and candidates are committed to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.
She called on all stakeholders to advise their constituents to refrain from violence and inciting people to act in a disorderly manner on the day of the election, adding that “this act constitutes an offence and upon conviction, attracts a maximum fine of #500,000 or a term of 12 months imprisonment or both. Section 125 of the electoral act 2022. Section 227 of the 1999 construction as amended, prohibits the use of thugs to perpetrate violence on election day”
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ben Nebolisa Okolo, reiterated the preparedness of the Command to provide adequate security and advised all stakeholders to be peaceful to avoid the wrath of the law.
The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo, also advised Bayelsans against spilling their blood on the altar of politics, urging them to refrain from anything that will derail the peaceful elections, and abide by the rules of the elections.
Also speaking, Secretary of IPAC in Bayelsa state, Simeon Imomotimi, commended the INEC and all political parties for the peace accord, adding that parties should go into the elections without rancour, as after the elections, they will remain Bayelsans. He considered the signing of the peace accord as not only novel but apt.
