Political parties participating in the Edo State Governorship election signed a Peace Accord on September 12, 2024, as the race intensifies ahead of the September 21 election.
Notably, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, did not sign the accord.
The Peace Accord was signed by major parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as well as the Labour Party and its candidate, Olumide Akpata. Other parties like Accord, Accord Alliance, the African Action Congress (AAC), the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) were also signatories.
Former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, expressed disappointment at the PDP’s decision, stating, “The PDP said they are not going to sign the peace accord unless certain conditions are met.”
The refusal follows allegations by Governor Godwin Obaseki of security bias, accusing the police of unfairly targeting PDP members.
He argued that the arrests had driven the party’s leadership into hiding, leading to doubts about the fairness of the election.
The PDP’s Deputy Director General, Don-Pedro Obaseki, reiterated the party’s concerns, stating that they would not sign unless the issues surrounding the arrests of their members were addressed.
Meanwhile, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Mahmood Yakubu reported that Edo State now has 2,629,025 registered voters, underscoring the significance of the upcoming election.
The National Peace Committee, founded in 2014, plays a critical role in fostering peaceful and credible elections across Nigeria.
Members of the committee include esteemed figures such as the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad III, and business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote.