ATIKU’S ASSENT TO PEACE PACT, AN AFTERTHOUGHT - BMO

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has described the belated signing of the Election Peace Pact by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as an afterthought.

Atiku had failed to honour the invitation earlier extended to him by the National Peace Committee led by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO noted that Atiku had no intention of signing the Peace Pact as he and members of his party intended to push out fake news and hate speeches, promote violence and ultimately disrupt the 2019 elections, threats the Peace Pact was being signed against.

“We recall that in September, Atiku had said that if he did not get the Presidential ticket of his party he would unleash crisis in the party. Before then, his party PDP had in July said that it would boycott the 2019 elections and would reject the results of the elections. This tells us that Atiku and his party already had a mindset of sponsoring chaos during the 2019 elections and were unwilling to have anything to do with peace, not to talk of signing a Peace Pact.”

The group noted that Atiku Abubakar had come under serious international pressure and chiding hence his signing of the Peace Pact, albeit reluctantly.

The group added that Atiku and the PDP’s excuses were flimsy and unbelievable, as, all over the media, the news of the signing of the Peace Pact was everywhere and his saying that he did not get any invitation was a lie that even a child would not believe.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has shown leadership by signing the peace pact despite the absence of Alhaji Abubakar. We observe that this example shown by the president is consistent with his approach in the previous presidential elections that he had participated, especially in 2015 when he also signed a peace accord with former President Goodluck Jonathan.”

“The president has by signing the peace accord demonstrated that he cherishes peace and that his government is committed to free and credible elections in 2019.”

“We also appeal to the Committee to further extend it good work to the various states as they are critical to the existence of peace in the country. We believe that if different contestants for political offices in states are brought into the peace accord, it will go a long way to promote peace and development in the whole country.”

The Buhari Media Organisation called on the political class to emulate the example of President Muhammadu Buhari who has through his actions demonstrated the need for all Nigerians to work for peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians, especially as we approach the 2019 general elections.