Rotary Club of Nigeria, Anambra State Branch, has urged political parties and candidates participating in the November 8, 2025, governorship election in the state to embrace peace and conduct themselves with decorum before, during and after the election.

The club stated this during a press briefing shortly after a peace walk in Awka, on Saturday, as part of activities marking the ‘2025 International Peace Day’, adding that the aim of the exercise is to ensure a violent and rancour-free election.

Speaking during a press briefing shortly after the “peace walk”, the Past Assistant Governor and State Coordinator, Rotary Action Group for Peace, Chidi Obiudu, said Rotary desires the election to be peaceful so as to avoid litigation that would lead the state to nowhere.

Obiudu, who spoke on the theme of the event, tagged, ‘Act now for a peaceful world’, advised Anambra electorates and party supporters to embrace peace and shun anything that will bring bad reputation to the state during the election period.

He reminded residents that any wrong action taken during the election is capable of causing chaos in the state and encouraged them to carry the message of peace to every nook and cranny of the state.

He said the association embarked on the ‘peace walk’ to sensitise the people on the importance of peace and to demonstrate to the people and communities the need to embrace peace during the election, noting that peace comes with development.

He said, “Today is a special day for the Rotary Club as we commemorate the International Peace Day, which comes up on September 21. We just had a road walk to sensitise the people of Anambra on the need to embrace peace, especially as the election period approaches.

“Our district is very interested in peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Our message is very simple and direct to Ndi Anambra; all we are begging is for us to cultivate the culture of peace.

“The theme for this year is ‘Act now for a peaceful world’. There are many ways of addressing conflicts; we all have a role to play, and we call on Ndi Anambra to give peace a chance during the election.

“Our prayer is for the election to be peaceful because if it’s not peaceful, it will lead to litigation, and it will take the state nowhere. In a contest like an election, there must be a winner; if you win, if you lose, so be it.

“The crusade is to carry this message down to our communities. There are eight pillars of peace. We have negative peace and positive peace. Once people embrace peace, the state and the country will be a better place for us to live.

“We urge the people, both indigenes and non-indigenes, to speak and show peace; be law-abiding. Allow INEC to call and announce the results. We discourage any act of violence that will ignite war in the state, and we urge political parties and their candidates to sheathe their swords and embrace peace, irrespective of the party they belong to. Anambra State is one body.”

Also speaking, the President, Rotary Club of Awka Metropolis, Michael Bishop, said the event started with a road walk, tagged, ‘peace walk’, to enable peace to exist in the state, and advised individuals, communities to embrace peace, noting that peace comes with development.

“We urge the youths to embrace peace during the election; they are the strength and muscle of the state. They should shun conflict, coordinate themselves properly and avoid acts capable of throwing the state into crisis, especially at this forthcoming election,” Bishop added.

The District Chairman, RAFGP, Dennis Ekemezie; President, Rotary Club of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Chukwu Melchizedek; President, Rotary Club, Obowo, Imo State, Ngozi Onuoha; President, Rotary Club, Awka GRA, Chioma Ikebundu, who also spoke at the event, advised the people to follow positive peace for a better Anambra and Nigeria