The United States government has sponsored an electoral security roundtable, mandating governorship candidates for Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to sign a peace pledge, promising to ensure they would not participate in pre or post election violence in Nigeria.
According to the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, the US government sponsored peace signing accord between the two aspirants, as an additional effort to ensure there was no pre or post elections violence in Nigeria.
“This is important to promoting peaceful elections in Nigeria and the US government will continue to remain in the frontline for a fair and violence-free elections in Nigeria. Nigeria is our most cherished partner and we must be part of its growth and happiness.
“The two governorship candidates have both displayed love for their country and I am convinced that they would not indulge and or allow their supporters to cause any unwarranted discomfort to the peace of the Nigerian community,” he said.
The electoral security roundtable is the US government’s additional effort at ensuring fair and violence-free elections in Nigeria, and is targeted at ensuring that each of the participating candidates further pledges to accept the outcome of the elections or seek redress through legal means if aggrieved.