Switzerland has congratulated the peace accord signed by all the political parties contesting the general elections saying they should keep to their word during the elections as well as during the post election period.
The Peace Accord ceremony was organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar and composed of political and traditional leaders as well as members of the civil society.
On Tuesday 11 December, the first peace accord was signed by majority of the political parties contesting the February 16 presidential elections, however, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar was absent at the first event.
In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Political and Economic Officer at the embassy, Babatunde Ajala, the Swiss embassy said the support provided is in line with its longstanding contributions and partnerships in the fields of conflict prevention and resolution.
The NPC has been working for several months to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
“At the request of Nigerian stakeholders and along with local and international partners such as the Kofi Annan Foundation and Clinton Foundation, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs provided financial and technical support to the process that led to the signature of the Abuja Peace Accord,” the statement said.
At an official ceremony earlier on Wednesday in Abuja the two main presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, reiterated their willingness to ensure a peaceful electoral process for the presidential election on February 16th.
The Abuja Peace Accord 2019 is a follow up to an earlier one signed before the 2015 presidential election.
