LASIEC directs candidates to sign undertaking on peaceful conduct

Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) on Saturday said it had directed all candidates for the July 22 council elections to sign an undertaking, pledging orderly conduct before, during and after the polls.

The chairman of the commission, Retired Justice Ayotunde Phillips, said a “Memorandum of Understanding” would be signed at the commission’s head office on Monday.

In a statement signed on her behalf by Mr Oladapo Olatunde, Director of Public Affairs of the commission, Phillips said the commitment from candidates was necessary to ensure that the polls were free of violence

Philips expressed concern over the high level of acrimony in the political environment ahead of the polls.

She assured that the commission would do everything possible to check any threat to the peaceful conduct of the elections.

Philips urged leaders of political parties and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully during the election.

“You should purge yourselves of the do -or-die mentality that has been the bane of the nation’s democratic adventure,” she said.

She said the commission had enlisted the support of security agencies to ensure hitch-free polls.

Also, the state chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged political parties and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully during the election.

Mr Kola Ajayi, the council ‘s chairman, said in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that peace was key to the success of the elections.

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“We are urging candidates and political parties to eschew violence before, during and after the elections.

“They should see the elections as a game that would produce winners and losers, and not approach it with a do-or-die mentality,” he said.

Ajayi said IPAC had been creating awareness on the need to maintain the peace across the council areas, ahead of the elections.

He said the council would continue to partner with organisations and stakeholders to entrench peace in the state.