By Kachy Madukaego
Civil society legislative advocacy center (CISLAC )has charged political parties in to ensure that 2023 election in Imo state is devoid of violence.
Mr. Okeke Anya who represented the executive director CISLAC Auwal Ibrahim Musa gave this charge while briefing journalist in Owerri on Thursday 2nd February 2023.
He noted that Imo state has witnessed violence over the years which he said is detrimental to development and peaceful conduct of election.
Mr Anya who is the programme Manager of CISLAC, also said that some of the key reason for the peace pact include the need to build consensus among electoral stakeholders in the state as well bestow confidence among electorates.
According to him, ” the commitment of political parties and their Frontline candidates under the peace pact will bind them to shunning hate speech, peddling of fake news, political thuggery and other acts that unnecessarily heat up the polity and stoke up electoral violence but will help them to focus on issue -based campaigns.
“As stakeholders involving the police, inter party advisory council, civil society organizations, are currently initiating the signing of a peace accord by political parties on Friday 10th February 2023, although the state has bureau for peace and conflict resolution established in 2011, but is yet to take ownership of coordinating the process to institutionalize the signing of peace accord in Imo state as it is done by similar commissions in other states, he said.
Furthermore ,he revealed that the maiden peace accord in Imo state was signed by governorship candidates in 2019 election which was initiated by civil society and security agency adding that is has been considered as thoughtful, proactive and worthy of emulation by other southeast states as well as the federation at large.
Also speaking, the manager monitoring evaluation accountability and learning CISLAC Mrs Lovelyn Agbor- Gabriel reiterated that the role of the media and security agencies in ensuring a violent free election can not be over emphasized adding that their desire is to see a peaceful conclusion of 2023 election in Imo state.