Forum Advises Parties Against Breaching Peace Accord

A group, the Rivers Investment and Investors Forum has advised politicians against breaching peace accords signed before the general elections.
Leader of the Rivers Debate Group and President, Rivers Investment and Investors Forum, Mr Ibifiri Bobmanuel gave the advice while speaking to newsmen against the backdrop of a debate the group organised for some governorship candidates in Rivers State.
The debate will feature candidates of five political parties including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Labour Party and two others.
Bobmanuel said that the debate organised by the Rivers Debate Group will also take time to hear from the political parties and their plans for the economy, open governance and security.
He stated that it is important that the populace get to hear from people they intend to vote for and those who want to assume power at all levels, adding that the candidates will sign a peace accord ahead of the elections and hold them to accout”.
“The Peace Accord is basically to refrain the politicians and remind them of their promises to the people. This time we are trying to take it one notch further by means of holding them accountable for their actions.
“Any political party or any politician that goes away from the peace accord on what you have done we will work closely with the international community to see how we could get them reprimanded from subsequent breach of peace,” he stated.
Bobmanuel said the governorship debate which will have in attendance some international observers and critical stakeholders in the society will also be an avenue to preach peace among all political parties participating in this weekend’s election.
“Electoral violence will discourage investors and investment into the state. That is why we are advocating that the process should be as peaceful as possible. And we are calling on the military to restrict themselves to the barrack and allow the civil society and the police to do what they are constitutionally empowered.
“So if we get it right we will further reap from the investment potential of our state”, leader of the debate group stated.

Dennis Naku