Ahead of the September 26 local government elections in Enugu State, Chief Uchenna Cyril Anioke, Ph.D., has urged political parties and candidates to shun electoral violence, thuggery, hate speech and other acts capable of undermining the credibility of the polls.
Anioke made the call on Monday, September 21, 2026, while presenting a paper titled “The Peace Accord: Our Collective and Binding Agreement for the Democratic Future of Enugu State” at the signing of the Peace Accord by participating political parties at the ENSIEC Headquarters, Independence Layout, Enugu.
Speaking from his experience as a former local government chairman, publisher and broadcast journalist, certified mediator and Alternative Dispute Resolution expert, as well as Founding President and Executive Director of Echoes of Tomorrow and the Youth Empowerment Foundation, Anioke described the Peace Accord as a vital instrument for preventing electoral conflict.
He said, “Conflict is entirely too expensive, but peace is a priceless foundation upon which all development stands.”
According to him, the signing of the accord was more than a routine political gathering, describing it as a public and binding commitment by political actors to protect the peace and democratic future of Enugu State.
“This is a moment of covenant. By signing this Peace Accord today, we are drawing a line in the sand and making a public, binding commitment to the citizens of Enugu State,” Anioke said.
He warned politicians against allowing the pressure to win local elections to override the larger interests of the state, stressing that no political office or local government seat was worth the life of any citizen.
“No seat, no office, and no local government council is worth the blood of any citizen,” he said, adding that a mandate obtained through fraud or violence would carry a crisis of legitimacy.
Anioke urged political actors to reject thuggery and allow the electoral process to determine legitimate winners.
“True victory is born from an open, fair, and transparent process. Please and please, do not trade in the toxic currency of thuggery and avoidable division,” he said.
He also challenged security agencies participating in the election to remain professional, neutral and united, stressing that their allegiance should be to the state and not any political party.
“The uniform you wear represents the state, not a political party,” Anioke said, urging security personnel to provide a safe environment where voters could exercise their franchise without intimidation.
Addressing party chairmen and candidates, he cautioned them against using young people as instruments of political violence.
“Do not weaponize our youths. Our young people are the engine of Enugu’s future, not fuel for political fires,” he said, warning politicians against recruiting youths as thugs and abandoning them afterwards.
Anioke further called on candidates to restrain their supporters, avoid hate speech and reject electoral violence, urging them to make their ideas and policies the basis of their campaigns.
“I challenge you to let your campaigns be driven by the superiority of your ideas, not the size of your weapons,” he said.
He warned that any mandate secured through rigging, ballot snatching or intimidation would be compromised from the outset.
“Without doubt, a mandate won through rigging, ballot-snatching, or intimidation is broken from day one. For sure, you cannot build a peaceful local government area on the foundation of electoral violence and stolen votes,” Anioke said.
He then delivered the central message of his appeal: “Let your manifestos compete, not your weapons!”
Anioke also called on political actors and other stakeholders to support the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) in conducting a peaceful, fair and credible election.
“A credible election is our only collective shield against post-election litigation and civil unrest,” he said, while urging ENSIEC to act as an unbiased umpire and stakeholders to provide the peaceful environment required for it to perform its duties.
He reminded participants that political contests would eventually end, but the people and communities of Enugu State would remain.
“Long after the campaign posters have faded, long after the microphones are turned off and the ballots are counted, we will still be brothers and sisters,” Anioke said.
He urged the political actors signing the accord to treat their signatures as a genuine commitment to peaceful democratic conduct, calling on those who lose to accept results with dignity or pursue grievances through lawful channels.
“Let us choose peace. Let us choose fairness. Let us secure the future of our people,” Anioke said.
