Buhari, Atiku sign accord on polls outcome today

President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today sign a peace accord on the outcome of the February 16 presidential election.

Former US President Bill Clinton will also speak with Buhari and Atiku this week to ensure peaceful election, his spokesman Angel Ureña said in a statement.

Clinton was earlier billed to deliver a keynote address and witness the signing of the peace accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The former US president, however, cancelled the trip because his visit to Nigeria “has the potential to be politicized in a way that is not in line with the goals of the Committee,” Ureña said.

 “This is a crucial time in Nigeria, and President Clinton is hopeful that the election’s outcome reflects the will of the Nigerian people,” the spokesman added.

When contacted last night, Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser Media and Publicity to President Buhari, said; “You will see him [the president] there.”

Mr Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media aide, also confirmed yesterday that the former VP would sign the pact today.

President Buhari had on December 11, 2018, signed the first peace pact, tagged “Abuja Accord 2018” along with several other presidential candidates. The PDP candidate who was absent at the event, however, signed the pact the following day.

While signing the first pact, Buhari had said, “We, the candidates pledge to uphold the highest standard of conducts and encourage our teeming supporters to do same.”

Also, after signing the pact, Atiku commended the president for signing the peace agreement.

It was gathered that in the build up to the 2015 elections, the NPC facilitated the signing of the peace accord between then President Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari and 12 other candidates for the presidential poll.