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PDP, APC and LP candidates in the coming Edo gov poll in 2024
The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday made good its threat as it did not take part in the peace accord which took place on Thursday in Benin.
Also, the All Progressives Congress which earlier said that it would not participate was one of the 16 parties that took part in the exercise.
The Peace Accord was initiated by the National Peace Accord Committee, under the leadership of the former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
The APC, at a press conference by its State Chairman, Jaret Tenebe, on Thursday, said that it was not disposed to signing the Peace Accord because of the failure of the police to arrest the suspects named in the killing of Inspector Akor Anuh, one of the security details attached to the APC governorship candidate, senator Monday Okpebholo, on July 18, 2024, along Airport Road, Benin City and attacks of their member at campaign rally by the PDP.
But at the venue of the signing ceremony held at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, the APC, represented by Tenebe and governorship candidate, Senator Okpebholo, signed the Peace Accord agreement.
However, the PDP maintained its hard stance on the matter and refused to sign the accord.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, it would be recalled, had while receiving General Abubakar (Rtd) on Wednesday, stated that the PDP would not sign the accord because of the bias of the police against the party.
The governor, who detailed the war of attrition the police had waged against the PDP, especially the arrest of its members across the state, said that the party would not sign the peace accord because the police which was expected to implement the agreement was already biased on the side of the APC.
The governor’s position was reinforced by the party’s State Chairman, Dr Tony Aziegnemi, who accused both the police and the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission of bias.
At the signing ceremony, Dr Aziegbemi and the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, refused to sign the peace accord
The PDP in declining to sign the peace accord, said that its action was based on alleged partisan dispositions of the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking to journalists at the venue of the peace accord parley chaired by Abubakar, Aziegbemi, said that despite the avalanches of incidence available in the public, the police had decided to arrest his party members while those identified in the APC were rooming the streets of Edo freely.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Abubakar noted that Obaseki had on Wednesday raised the issues of police bias and set out some conditions to be met by the police before PDP could sign the accord.
He said: “I expected Dr. Aziegbemi to have stated that before the committee and political parties rather than his outright refusal to sign the accord
“The PDP still had the opportunity of signing the peace accord by coming to Abuja to do so,” he added.
