United States President Joe Biden and the European Union on Thursday, thumbed up the peace accord signed on Wednesday in Abuja by the political parties contesting the presidential poll holding tomorrow.
President Biden in a statement issued by the Consulate in Lagos, also commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to a free, fair and credible election. He wants the political parties and candidates to know that: “Elections are a fundamental part of democracy, and all Nigerians deserve this chance to choose their future freely and fairly.” He said the peace accord was a commitment by all to a peaceful transition of power.
“By signing this pledge, the parties and candidates have committed to accept the results of the election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, and to support a peaceful transition of power.
He reiterated the policy of his government not to support any single candidate or party. Instead, it encourages peaceful and transparent electoral process reflects the will of Nigerians. “While the United States does not support any single candidate or party, we strongly support a peaceful and transparent process that reflects the will of the people of Nigeria.
“On election day, I encourage all Nigerians, no matter their religion, region, or ethnicity to exercise this fundamental freedom and make their voices heard, including young voters, many of whom may be heading to the ballot box for the first time.
“The United States stands with the Nigerian people as they chart a path toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure future. I appreciate President Buhari’s firm commitment that the will of the people will be respected. And in the coming days, I encourage voters to remain peaceful and patient as their ballots are tallied, and urge the political parties and candidates to live up to their pledge.”
In a similar development, the diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, Canada and Norway welcomed the signing of the peace accord by the candidates and parties.
The missions in a statement released on Thursday, said, “We believe it is vital for Nigeria’s stability and democratic consolidation that the process is conducted and concluded safely, fairly and credibly. We encourage all actors to intervene proactively to calm any tensions and avoid any violence in the periods before, during and after the elections.
“We call on all officials at federal and local levels in Nigeria to respect the human and democratic rights of its citizens. We strongly condemn any actions that undermine the peaceful and transparent conduct of the electoral process,” the joint statement read.
The Missions further called on parties to respect electoral laws and institutions and take a firm stand against violence and hate speech by their supporters. “We ask the security services in Nigeria to do their utmost to protect that process and prevent and deter attacks against INEC facilities, materials and personnel.
“We call on all officials, including the law enforcement authorities, to ensure a safe and conducive environment for the exercise of public freedoms, including the freedom of opinion and expression, the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of association, all of which are essential in democratic societies, in particular in the context of elections. Law enforcement authorities should remain visibly neutral and respond in a proportionate manner to any election-related incidents.
“We further urge all presidential candidates and political parties to live up to their commitments under the second Peace Accord to accept the results of the election as announced by INEC and to pursue any challenge of the results through the appropriate legal channels.
“Finally, we the Diplomatic Missions of the United States, Australia, Japan, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom in Nigeria would like to congratulate Nigeria on its 24 years of democratic progress since 1999, during which it has been a symbol to others of the value of exercising democratic rights for the betterment of society. We hope that this year’s elections further build Nigeria’s democratic tradition,” the joint statement read.
