Kaduna, Ilorin — The Kaduna Police Command has warned all political parties against engaging non-state actors, the use of weapons, including Dane guns and other dangerous weapons during campaigns in the state.

The police also tasked the party leaders and their candidates to base their campaigns on issues and ideas, as politics is basically a contest of ideas without bitterness.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Yekini Ayoku, gave the warning at a meeting with political party leaders and other stakeholders in the state.

According to him, the aim of the meeting was to remind the parties about the electoral act which prohibits violence during campaigns and after the elections.

Similarly, the Kaduna Peace Commission said it has commenced consultations to engage all candidates vying for political offices in the state on violence-free campaigns.

The Executive Vice Chairman, Kaduna State Commission on Peaceful and Harmonious Coexistence, Dr Saleh B. Momale, said the commission is working with INEC, security agencies and other stakeholders for peaceful elections.

Other sister security agencies in the state also attended the programme.

Similarly, political parties in Kwara State have signed a peace accord to ensure a violence-free election come 2023.

The ceremony, which was held in Ilorin, the state capital, was at the instance of the Kwara State Police Command and came a day after INEC released the list of candidates eligible to participate in polls across parties.

Representatives of 15 political parties were present to sign the accord, including APC, PDP, LP, SDP and YPP.

Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama, said the ceremony was one of the cardinal pillars of the process of achieving a peaceful democratic process in the state.