Edo guber: PDP pulls out as APC, 16 other parties sign peace accord

Published By: Paul Dada

By Jethro Ibileke

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday pulled out of the national peace accord for the 21 September governorship election in Edo State.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) that earlier threatened to pull out of the exercise however reversed its decision and committed to the peace deal.

The exercise which held in Benin City, was organised by the National Peace Committee.

State chairmen and candidates of all the 17 participating political parties signed for their parties while chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi and the party’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, although present, did not sign.

Aziegbemi who spoke to journalists at the venue, queried the usefulness of the peace accord signing, noting that “10 PDP members have been arrested in gestapo style by the police and detained in Abuja without trial.”

He added: “We are more than ready for this election…But the police IG is the most biased in the annals of this country.

“We will not allow a biased IGP who is not from Edo State to determine the outcome of this election. We demand the immediate recall of any external policemen currently Marauding the State.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), Joseph Eboigbe, who represented Governor Godwin Obaseki at the event, explained that the party will sign only after members of the party who were arrested are released by the police or charged to court.

He however assured the commitment of the state government to the safety of all stakeholders in the election.

Earlier, the state chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarrett Tenebe, told journalists that their fears had been allayed by the peace committee and IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

“One of our demand was that those who attacked our candidate convoy and killed his police detail should be declared wanted and arrested.

“The Police have promised that they
will be apprehended. And it will not also be proper for us not to come because the chairman of the committee, General Abubarkar Abdulsalami is an elder statesman,” he said.

Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), in his welcome speech, noted that signing the accord “signifies readiness to place the interest of the people which you want to serve above individual or party ambitions.”

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He urged all political actors and stakeholders to commit themselves to the cause of peace in Edo.

“Elections are a pillar of democracy, and in democracy, there are no losers; only participants who play their part in advancing the will of the people they represent and serve.

“I appeal to the esteemed candidates, parties and their supporters to remember that peace is the foundation upon which progress and development is built and established. Without it, none of the promises made to the people of Edo state can be fulfilled,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof Mahmood Yakubu, reminded political parties and their candidates that their commitment to implementation of the peace document, and not their signatures, that will guarantee peaceful election.

He assured the various political parties and their candidates of INEC’s readiness to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state, even as he called on them to commit themselves to the implementation of the terms of the accord.

“Therefore, as you sign the Peace Accord, commit yourselves to the implementation and terms of the accord and pass the message to your supporters at all levels for compliance.

“This is the best way to honour the effort and sacrifice of the Chairman and members of the NPC to peaceful elections,” Yakubu said.

Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged all stakeholders to embrace peace, tolerance and respect for the democratic process.

“We will remain impartial, professional and vigilante while providing a level playing ground for political parties and their candidates.

“We have put in place robust measures for the safety of persons and materials that would be involved in this election,” he said.

In his closing remarks, the Convener of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Martin Kukah, urged Edo people to go out and cast their votes.

Kukah who urged all candidates to explore legal means to seek redress if they were not satisfied with the outcome of the election, disclosed that the peace committee has the mechanisms to resolve some of the problems.