The 42nd President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton will be in Nigeria to deliver goodwill message at the signing ceremony of the National Peace Accord, NPC, which will hold at Abuja International Conference Centre, ICC, between February12 and 13 2019.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Head of Secretariat, National Peace Committee, Fr. Atta Barkindo and made available to the Next Edition.
According to the statement, NPC is mindful of the importance of peaceful elections and non-violent transfer of power, and has organized the conference to engage various stakeholders in preparation for the 2019 General Elections.
The statement read, “To this end, the NPC is pleased to announce that it has invited Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States of America and Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, to visit Nigeria from 12 to 13 February 2019, ahead of the Nigerian presidential elections.”
It said both President Clinton and Baroness Scotland will deliver goodwill messages at the signing ceremony of the “National Peace Accord”, which will hold at Abuja International Conference Centre on 13 February.
“President Clinton would also hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar. As we move into Nigeria’s national elections, the threat of unrest has to be taken seriously.”
The NPC while noting that both Guests of Honour enjoy enormous respect in Nigeria and beyond said “we look forward to his counsel and advice to help Nigeria navigate through what will hopefully be a peaceful and fair electoral cycle.
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“The National Peace Committee is grateful to the Kofi Annan Foundation for supporting this process, and, after 2015, again supporting free and fair elections in Nigeria.
Dr Barkindo disclosed that NPC has engaged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security services, 91 registered parties, the media and civil society organisations.
He further stated that considering some of the challenges faced, the Committee had organized the 1st signing of the National Peace Accord on December 11, 2018, to support peaceful campaigns and political rallies.
“Following from this, the Committee, led by former Nigerian Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has organized the 2nd signing of the National Peace aimed towards committing stakeholders to accepting the outcome of the vote, as long as it is announced by INEC, the body empowered by law and is adjudged to be free, fair and credible.
