The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has revealed why he was absent at the Peace Accord Signing earlier today in Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari alongside a few other presidential candidates signed a peace accord for the 2019 general elections.

The National Peace Committee, which organised the event, had said that an invitation was sent to all 73 presidential candidates contesting the 2019 elections.

Spokesman for Atiku, Paul Ibe, told PoliticsNGR that his principal was not invited.

Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Kingsley Moghalu of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Oby Ezekwesili of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) and Omoyele Sowore of Action Alliance, were among the presidential candidates absent.

The Peace Accord requires the Presidential Candidates to do as follows;

To run issue-based campaigns at national, state and local government levels. In, this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious incitements, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and by all agents in our names.

To refrain from making or causing to make in our names and that of our party, any public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence, before, during and after the elections.

To 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.

To support all institutions of government including INEC and the security agencies to act and be seen to act with impartially.
To forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances a d oppose all acts of electoral violence whether perpetuated by our supporters and/or opponents.