By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo

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Ahead of the Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, candidates of various politics parties contesting for the gubernatorial seat in the state signed the Peace Accord.

Some of the gubernatorial candidates who signed the peace Accord included the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, and the YPP guber candidate, Ademola Bayonle

Others are; Olufemi Adesuyi, ZLP, Rasak Saliu, NNPP, Adeleke Adedapo, Boot Party, Adebayo Elisha, APP, Action Alliance (AA).

Among those who did not show up for the signing are; the Accord candidate, Akin Ogunbiyi; the Labour Party candidate, Lasun Yusuf and the Social Democratic Party candidate, Goke Omigbodun.

Speaking at the ceremony organised by the National Peace Committee in Osogbo, Bishop Mattew Kukah, urged all political parties featuring at the election to work towards peace.

Kukah said Nigeria was in need of a peaceful environment and hence the need to encourage political actors to think toward peace.

He said that violence has been one of the fundamental threats to Nigeria’s democracy.

According to him, civil society organisations, religious groups, traditional institutions and other key actors have role to play in achieving peace in Nigeria.

Kukah urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political actors and other stakeholders to ensure that the election was free, fair and peaceful.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that the success of the peace accord depends on all stakeholders.

Yakubu said that INEC has taken steps to ensure credible election on July 16 and appealed to all candidates to strive hard to abide by the peace accord.

The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, promised that the election would witness an improved security situation over that of Ekiti.

Baba, represented by Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Mr Johnson Kokumo, assured of a level playing ground for all candidates.

In his speech, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, said the political actors should play according to the rules, saying Osun is bigger than everybody. “I want implore our political actors to play according to the rules. Osun is bigger than all of us.”

“Yes, it’s good to be ambitious, but we should not allow our personal ambition to overide that of the public interest. All of you cannot win, it’s only one person that will emerge and who ever emerges, let’s be ready to embrace him for the betterment and progress of our dear state.