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The Acting Chairman of the APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe and the candidate of the party, Senator Monday Okpebholo rescinded their decision and signed the document because of “our respect for the rule of law, the credibility of the National Peace Committee headed by General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.
