Edo Guber: Why APC reversed self, signed peace accord
BENIN CITY – ABOUT two hours after the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said it would not sign the Peace Accord by all political parties and candidates ahead of the September 21 governorship election, the party made a U-turn.
The Acting Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe and the candidate of the party, Senator Monday Okpebholo rescinded their decision and signed the document because of “our respect for the rule of law, the credibility of the National Peace Committee headed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, retd, and Bishop Hassan Kukah.
However, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, refused to sign as Governor Godwin Obaseki hinted during his meeting with General Abubakar, on Wednesday, saying it would only sign the accord if 16 of its members and leaders arrested by the police were released.
Tenebe said: “One of our demands was that those who attacked our candidate’s convoy and killed his police detail should be declared wanted and arrested.
“The Police have promised that they will be apprehended. And it will also not be proper for us not to come because the chairman of the committee, General Abubakar Abdulsalami is an elder statesman,” he said.
The signing of the peace accord, which was held in Benin City had the other 17 participating political parties appending their signatures.
The Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi and the party’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, although present, did not sign. Aziegbemi who spoke to journalists at the venue, queried the usefulness of signing the peace accord, noting that “10 PDP members have been arrested in gestapo style by the police and detained in Abuja without trial.”
He added: “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 Obaseki at the event, explained that the party would 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.
Chairman of the Committee, General Abubakar, 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.”
He continued: “Elections are pillars 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.
Abubakar said the ceremony was a commitment to uphold the peace, unity, and democratic values of the nation, noting that since the committee’s formation in 2014, it had worked tirelessly to foster an environment where every Nigerian could exercise his or her constitutional right to vote without fear of violence or intimidation.
Yakubu tasks candidates, parties on implementation of accord
On his part, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, told the parties and their candidates that it was not just the signing of the documents that matter but their commitment to implementation of the peace document that would guarantee peaceful election.
He reassured the audience of INEC’s readiness to conduct free, fair and credible election in the state.
Yakubu said: “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.”
Police’ll remain impartial, professional – IGP
Also speaking, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urged all stakeholders to embrace peace, tolerance and respect for the democratic process promising that the police would remain impartial, professional and vigilante.
“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 Matthew Kukah, urged Edo people to go out and cast their votes and urged all candidates to explore legal means to seek redress if they were not satisfied with the outcome of the election, and noted that the peace committee has the mechanisms to resolve some of the problems.
He said: “We should be thankful for our country because some other African countries are in crisis because of unresolved political issues.
“I am happy that Nigerians have confidence in the electoral process. The worst election is remedied by another election.”
Group urges Abubakar committee to probe allegations of police bias
Meanwhile, the Edo Salvation Group, ESG, has called on the General Abubakar-led committee to investigate allegations of bias by the police and INEC in the approach to the governorship election in the state.
The group particularly charged the committee to interrogate claims that officials of the PDP were being locked up by the police.
The group in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Mani Ekpe, expressed concern that the Abubakar panel has for the first time since its advent in 2014 been unable to bring the major election contenders to a peace table. Noting the arrest of several officials of the PDP, the group expressed concern over rife reports that more officials of the PDP campaign have been marked out for arrest.
