Sodiq Yusuf
NIGERIAN hip-hop star, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2face, on Wednesday called for peaceful, fair and transparent governorship election coming up on July 16, 2022 in the State of Osun.
Pursuant to his peace ‘Vote Not Fight’ advocacy, Idibia met with candidates of three major parties participating in the election on Wednesday, urging them to prevail on their supporters to eschew violence during the poll.
Idibia met with Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Dr Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party.
He made the three governorship candidates sign a peace pact where they all pledged their commitment to a peaceful poll.
Speaking at a meeting he held with Adeleke in Ede on Wednesday, Idibia called on the candidate to promote messages that would deter perpetrators of electoral violence and violence against women during the election.
He said: “We are hopeful that as a man of peace, you will make a commitment to run a peaceful campaign and encourage your supporters to be peaceful before, during and after the Osun governorship election.
“We call on you to amplify the VNF and Stop-VAWIP campaigns by speaking out frequently against youth-incited/perpetrated violence, hate speech, vote buying and electoral violence targeted at women.
In his remarks, Adeleke pledged commitment to a peaceful poll and called on members of other parties participating in the election to also keep to their promise of a violence-free election.
Oyetola who hosted Idibia at the Government House on Wednesday reiterated his commitment to a free, fair and violent-free election.
The governor emphasized the need for politicians to play according to the rules of the game, saying that election shouldn’t be seen as a do-or-die affair.
