Ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates have signed a second peace agreement.
The presidential candidates signed the agreement at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
Those present at the signing included the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland; former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Bishop Mathew Kukah, as well as other members of the National Peace Committee (NPC).
Speaking at the gathering, Chairman of the NPC, General Abubakar, advised political parties to function as effective actors for peace before, during, and after the elections, adding that they should adopt a code of conduct that would promote a peaceful process devoid of rigging.
The former Head of State urged each of the candidates to use the few days left to address their voters and supporters directly, pleading with them to avoid violence.
He stated that the benefit of this is to guarantee that there will be no need for foreign observers in the future.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, as well as former Presidents of Liberia, Tanzania and Botswana among others at the event give goodwill messages.
From the candidates, President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) request for prayers for the nation as election approaches in few days, while appealing to the youths to shun all forms of violence.
He stressed that the important thing was for candidates to accept the final outcome of the elections, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission has assured the people of a free and fair exercise.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku, also quoted former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian, urging the electoral arbitrate to be fair arbiters for objectivity to prevail.
Atiku equally asked security agencies not to embark on indiscriminate arrests of key officials, days or hours before the elections, saying that was the case in some bye-elections.
He also urged the President to do everything within his power to ensure that the vote of every eligible person counts.
All the presidential candidates had earlier signed the first part of the peace agreement in December last year.