President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and other top presidential candidates on Wednesday signed the 2019 National Peace Accord.

The significant event which was held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja was attended by representatives of several international and regional organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, top government functionaries among others.

Among those who attended the event were former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who is leading the ECOWAS observer mission; a former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, who heads the Commonwealth observer mission and Festus Moghai, a former President of Botswana who is heading the Democratic National Institute and Republic National Institute.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC) and former military Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar said the committee decided to organize the peace accord signing in order to ensure peaceful conduct of all elections in the country.

Abubakar called on all the presidential candidates and all stakeholders in the 2019 general elections to continue to preach peace to their supporters even after the campaigns.

He said that no credible elections can hold in the absence of a peaceful atmosphere, stressing that governance after the election will not be possible without a peaceful environment.

The former Head of State said disharmony among political parties retards the country’s Nigeria’s development, adding that by signing the peace accord, the presidential candidates were committing themselves towards ensuring peaceful polls in Nigeria.

Also speaking at the event, another former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon urged the candidates to tell their supporters to ensure peaceful conduct during the elections so that in the future, there may be no need for foreign observers because the right conduct would have been assured.

In her remarks, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland said millions of people across the world were praying for Nigeria and its people in the hope that the forthcoming elections would hold peacefully.

She said Saturday’s election will be the sixth since 1999 when the country returned to democracy after military rule, expressing the hope that the poll will entrench and build on the gains achieved since 1999.

“It is a burden that Nigerian leaders gathered here today carry. We call on their party, supporters and public to follow their lead. Elections will come and go, but this great Nigeria will remain,” Ms Scotland said.