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The National Peace Committee headed by Nigeria’s former military president, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), has invited the 42nd President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, to deliver a keynote address as Nigeria’s major presidential candidates sign another peace accord this week.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are the front-runners in the race as Nigerians go to the polls.
In a statement statement on Sunday, February 10, the committee’s head of secretariat, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo said the event would hold on Wednesday, February 13 at the Abuja International Conference Centre.
According to Barkindo, the committee invited Clinton and Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, ahead of the presidential elections to help Nigeria navigate through another electoral cycle.
Part of the statement read:
“Both President Clinton and Baroness Scotland will deliver goodwill messages at the signing ceremony of the National Peace Accord, which will hold at Abuja International Conference Centre on 13 February.
“President Clinton would also hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar. As we move into Nigeria’s national elections, the threat of unrest has to be taken seriously.
“Both Guests of Honour enjoy enormous respect in Nigeria and beyond and we look forward to his counsel and advice to help Nigeria navigate through what will hopefully be a peaceful and fair electoral cycle.
“The National Peace Committee is grateful to the Kofi Annan Foundation for supporting this process, and, after 2015, again supporting free and fair elections in Nigeria.”
The statement also noted that the committee has also engaged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security services, the 91 registered political parties, the media and civil society organisations.
Recall that the committee organized the 1st signing of the National Peace Accord on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 to support peaceful campaigns and political rallies.
“This signing is aimed towards committing stakeholders to accepting the outcome of the vote, as long as it is announced by INEC, the body empowered by law and is adjudged to be free, fair and credible,” the statement concluded.
