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By Anastacia Eluwa, Asaba
Forty-nine political parties’ Chairmen and governorship candidates participating in the Governorship election in Delta State yesterday signed a peace accord to help foster peace during the forthcoming general elections.
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Delta State who led the political stakeholders to it assured all the participating registered political parties that the commission is doing its best to ensure success in the forthcoming elections.
The Commission’s Acting Administrative Secretary, Mr. Felix Enabor gave the assurance at the INEC’s state headquarters in Asaba during the Stakeholders meeting/ Signing of Peace Pact by Governorship Candidates of all Political Parties in the state.
Enabor equally, implored all the political stakeholders to play by the rules of the game, saying that this is part of the foundation to a hitch free election.
According to Acting Administrative Secretary, “The importance of a security meeting like this at such a crucial time, as we have on our hands cannot be over emphasized. This is because election can only take place in a secure environment”.
He added; ” Even the political gladiators can only rule and bring development to the society where violence and rancour are absent. No matter the good plans you stakeholders have for the state, rancour can detail their manifestation in one way or the other”.
Administrative Secretary also assured all contestants of the commission’s neutrality, promising that all political parties will enjoy a level playing field before, during and after the elections.
“Our goals is to deliver a free, fair, credible and conclusive elections. However, the enabling environment must be given to the Commission to do its work properly and serve you well”, he stressed.
He disclosed that two million, eight hundred and twenty-three thousand, one hundred and sixty-one(2,823,161) persons were registered by the Commission in the state, adding that the PVCs have been printed and the collection of the PVCs is on going.
Enabor frowned that 465, 317 PVCs were yet to be collected, and he enjoined the political stakeholders to encourage their followers who are real owners of the PVCs to come to collect them as without which they cannot vote.
The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Delta State Coordinator National Youth Service Corps, National Civil Defence Corps, other security agencies pledged to be fair to all political parties and their candidates during the elections.
Chairmen and governorship candidates of Labour party, APDA, PPA, PDP, APC, DPP, amongst others expressed happiness over the signing of the peace pact, but advised INEC and security agencies to be fair to all political parties before, during and after the elections.
They equally advised INEC to make electoral materials available on time on election days at the polling units across the state.
