The National Peace Committee (NPC) has said that its intervention in the electoral process has helped to douse the tension and reduce the level of bitterness during the b2023 elections.
It added that politicians have abided by the terms of the accord, saying at the end of the day when the results were announced, there was no widespread violence, people went to court, and that was what the court said.
The Executive Director of Kukah Centre, Fr. Atta Barkindo, disclosed this Thursday in Abuja during the public presentation of the “Independent Evaluation report of the project – support to the NPC (through The Kukah Centre)” to advocate and facilitate overall peace in Nigeria.
He said NPC proactive efforts including organising two national peace accords and engaging with stakeholders resulted in the 2023 general election being one of the most peaceful in Nigeria’s history.
Barkindo added: “There’s massive loss of trust, what we call trust deficit in institutions, particularly institutions of government across this country. So, there are many cases where people require moral intervention, the voices of critical stakeholders, who are influential, who are respected, who can be heard, and I think that is what we have tried to provide.
“And that’s what we bring to the table because it helps to douse the tension. It helps to reduce the level of bitterness, and it helps citizens to hold these people to account especially when they publicly declare that they will accept the outcome of the vote as long as it is free, fair and credible.
“And to be honest, people have abided by the terms of the accord, because at the end of the day when the results were announced, there was no widespread violence, people went to court, and that was what the court said.”
He said the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provided assistance to the NPC through The Kukah Centre with the aim of fostering peace and stability in Nigeria before, during, and after the 2023 elections.
The report revealed that the initiative sought to promote issue based campaigns, reduce tensions, and enhance conflict resolution abilities.
It said: “As a result of this support, political candidates were persuaded to prioritise peaceful campaigning and discourse over violence and divisive speech.
“Additionally, constructive communication among diverse political parties and stakeholders was encouraged, leading to a more peaceful electoral process.”
The report pointed out that the importance of this assistance in promoting long-term peacebuilding initiatives in Nigeria was significant, as it established sustainable conflict resolution mechanisms and strengthened community resilience against violence.
It noted: “The proactive efforts of the National Peace Committee (NPC), including organising two national peace accords and engaging with stakeholders, resulted in the 2023 general elections being one of the most peaceful in Nigeria’s history.
“Direct engagements with political parties and candidates emphasised the importance of lawfulness, contributing to increased awareness and promoting peace, reaching at least 17 million individuals through media actions.”