By Abu Yunus
The convener of the National Peace Committee, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has explained the rationale behind compelling politicians to sign peace accords before and after elections.
Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, spoke at the ongoing in Abuja at a stakeholders’ briefing and presentation of the annotation of the peace accord organised by The Kukah Centre, with support from the European Union,on Monday.
He said peace accords were meant to encourage political actors to act responsibly, stressing that once signed, the responsibility of upholding peace rests not only on politicians but also on Nigerians, the media and civil society groups.
“When politicians sign an accord, it is not just for the peace committee. It becomes the responsibility of everyone to hold them to it,” Kukah said.
He noted that rising political tension, misinformation and security concerns continued to threaten the integrity of elections, adding that the peace committee was created to promote mediation, confidence-building and good faith among political actors.
According to him, the committee’s background engagements had helped in providing practical solutions and reducing conflicts during electoral contests.
Kukah said elections must be peaceful, credible and acceptable, reminding politicians that in every contest, there would always be winners and losers.
He urged political actors to see peace accords as a real commitment to Nigerians, warning that laws alone could not guarantee peace without a change of attitude.
“The law is good, but the human heart must also change. If people are not committed, they become sources of conflict,” he said.
Kukah added that the meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the current electoral environment and identify areas where the peace committee could lend its moral authority to support credible elections.
He also called on the media, civil society and security agencies to continue working together to build a peaceful and stable Nigeria.
