By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The governorship candidates of the various political parties in Benue state have committed themselves to ensuring the peaceful conduct of Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly election in the state.

They gave the commitment on Thursday in Makurdi during a stakeholders meeting on the election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the state.

Addressing the gathering, the Action Democratic Party, ADP, candidate, Mrs. Ada Chenge assured that as a mother she had already sensitised her supporters on the need to ensure that the election went without any form of crisis.

She said, “as a woman and mother I stand for peace, I and my supporters are for peace, because I want to govern a state where there is peace.”

Also, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia who urged the people to ensure peaceful elections in the state said, “peace must reign on Saturday because this is the only state we have as our home. We cannot therefore allow anything divide us because we have a lot of things to unit us.”

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Titus Uba who was represented by the acting State Chairman of the party, Mr. Isaac Mffo said “PDP is known to be a peaceful party and we will ensure that the election is held in an atmosphere of peace.”

On his part, the candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Prof. Bem Angwe assured that the party and its supporters would not do anything that would jeopardise the peace that was being enjoyed in the state. “We will ensure the election is peaceful without hitches.”

Earlier the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for the state, Prof. Sam Egwu who expressed worry over the reports he was getting on the election said the Commission was working closely with security agencies to ensure that the election was peaceful.

The REC said he called the meeting to have the parties commit themselves to the peaceful conduct of the election “because you will agree with me that if March 18 comes to pass and we hold the election in Benue in which nobody’s blood is spilled, I think that should give us more celebration than who eventually wins.”

“I am happy that the candidates and party leaders are here. But I am worried by what I hear. I am worried because violence is a very antithetical element of democracy.

“Democracy is about inclusiveness, it is about the freedom of the people to make their choice unfettered by any form. Democracy is also about a referendum on what people think of the past and what they think of the future either in retrospective terms or introspective terms.
Therefore I want us all to collectively work towards peace so that we will all be happier for it.”

Also the Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Wale Abass, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Mr. Emmanuel Adeshina said security agencies had put all measures in place to ensure a hitch-free election on Saturday.

“We also appeal to everyone to observe the movement resptriction order which commences midnight of Friday because we will enforce it,” he said.

The meeting was attended by political party stalwarts and their supporters as well as representatives of the military and para-military organisations in the state.