The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, has pledged his unconditional commitment to peaceful elections and governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Chinda made the pledge during the Rivers Dialogue, themed “Peaceful Elections: Sustainable Path for Economic Development,” held in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He commended the organisers for initiating the dialogue, expressing confidence that the gathering would contribute to peaceful elections and governance in the state.
“I want to assure all of us seated here, and our brothers and sisters outside of this place, that I am fully, unconditionally committed to a peaceful election and peaceful governance in Rivers State,” he said.
The APC governorship candidate also identified with the Rainbow Coalition, saying its objective was to promote peace through reconciliation among political actors.
He noted that the ongoing reconciliation efforts were aimed at creating an atmosphere conducive to peaceful elections, adding that political differences should not undermine the collective interest of the state.
According to Chinda, the primary responsibility of government is to protect lives and property, stressing that security is fundamental to the delivery of other public services.
Citing Section 14 of the Nigerian Constitution, he argued that the protection of lives and property must take precedence over infrastructure and other development projects.
“The primary purpose of government is not to make roads or build hospitals, but you must be alive for the road and the hospitals to come,” he said.
He maintained that any government that fails to guarantee the safety of citizens and their property falls short of its fundamental responsibility.
Chinda further expressed optimism that Rivers State would sustain its prevailing atmosphere of calm before, during and after the elections.
He said he personally attended the dialogue despite other scheduled engagements to demonstrate the seriousness of his commitment to peaceful elections.
The APC candidate thanked the organisers, Megalectrics for providing a platform for political leaders and other stakeholders to discuss peaceful elections and governance in Rivers State.
