Given the rising political tensions in the country, amplified by violent skirmishes between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Peace Committee for the 2015 Elections on Wednesday said it had become incumbent on President Goodluck Jonathan and his rival in APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to adhere strictly to the peace accord they both pledged to uphold.

The call came amid growing fears that both parties may have jettisoned the peace accord ahead of the February 14 presidential election.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, the Founder of the Kukah Centre for Faith and Leadership Research and Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, said the two presidential candidates and other contestants in the February general election were duty-bound to adhere to the principles of the peace accord as a means through which the polls could be devoid of crises.

The committee has as members former military Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd); Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd); John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar (III); Alhaji Muhammad Musdafa; Archbishop Nicholas Okoh; Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Justice Rose Ukeje (rtd); Aliko Dangote; Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Prof. Ameze Goubadia; Prof. Zaynab Alkali; Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Sam Amuka; and Dame Priscilla Kuye.

According to Kukah, “We must note that this initiative is meant to build on the historical gesture, which the candidates themselves demonstrated by not only signing the document but going further to embrace one another,  thus showing their commitment to putting the nation before anything else.”

He explained that as part of the strategy to ensure that Jonathan, Buhari and other contestants abide by the peace accord, the committee has set in motion a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance.

Kukah, while calling on Nigerians to encourage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the committee would insist that nobody digresses from the rules and principles governing the peace accord.

He further cautioned supporters of politicians, stating, “Let us who are supporters cry no more than the bereaved.”

Also, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, added that though threats and violence were not new in Nigeria’s election history, the signing of the peace accord by Jonathan and Buhari had projected a new commitment to ensure peaceful 2015 elections.

Akinyemi maintained that abuses during elections had been a recurring trend in the nation’s politics, but that there was need to draw a line in order not to escalate the situation.

Chairman of the Intra-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yunusa Tanko, said efforts had been made to build a consensus on the need for political parties to obey the peace accord.

The committee is expected to meet during the week to harmonise modalities for monitoring compliance to the accord.