Presidential candidates gathered Tuesday, in Abuja, to pledge their commitment to a peaceful election in 2019 – an initiative of the Abdulsalami Abubakar National Peace Committee.

But the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar was absent, saying he was not invited.

Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe said in a statement that, “Following media enquiries as to the absence of Atiku Abubakar from the signing of the Peace Pact, I wish to state that the PDP presidential candidate did not receive an invitation to the event.”

Following media enquiries as to the absence of HE @atiku from the signing of the Peace Pact, I wish to state that the PDP presidential candidate did not receive invitation to the event.

— Paul Ibe (@omonlakiki) December 11, 2018

The candidates agreed to:

• run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels;
• refrain from making or causing to make in our names and that of our parties, any public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections;
• commit ourselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence to this Accord by a National Peace Committee made up of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders;
• support all institutions of government including INEC and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartially;
• and forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetrated by our supporters and/or opponents.

Meanwhile, a member of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Matthew Kukah, says Atiku Abubakar was invited.

Kukah who is also the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese said this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday in Abuja.

“I have here with me a copy of a letter which was sent to all political party chairmen announcing this event,” he said.

“This is a letter that was sent which was acknowledged in the office of Prince Uche Secondus, the Chairman of the PDP.”

Other candidates like Oby Ezekwesili (ACPN), Donald Duke Social Democratic Party(SDP), Kingsley Moghalu (YPP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC) were also absent from the ceremony.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram