PDP boycotts as APC, LP sign peace accord for Edo guber

Political parties and their candidates participating in the September 21 Edo governorship election have signed the peace accord.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refused to sign the agreement.

The signing of the peace accord took place on Thursday at the Victor Uwaifo creative hub in Benin city, Edo state capital.

Monday Okpebholo, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, and his Labour Party counterpart, Olumide Akpata, signed the peace accord.

Other parties that signed the document include Accord Party, Accord Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, Action Democratic Party, and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The Allied Peoples Movement, Action Peoples Party, Labour Party, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, the Social Democratic Party, Youth Party, and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) also signed the peace accord.

Speaking at the event, Mahmood Yakubu, chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), commended Abdulsalami Abubakar, chair of the national peace committee (NPC), and the committee for their efforts in bringing parties, candidates and other stakeholders together for peaceful polls in Nigeria.

Yakubu urged political parties and their candidates to commit themselves to the implementation and terms of the accord.

He urged the parties and candidates to pass the message to their supporters at all levels for total compliance.

On his part, Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, promised that the force will provide a level playing ground for all political parties.

Tony Aziegbemi, chairman of the PDP in Edo, was present at the event but did not sign the document.

On Wednesday, Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, said PDP may not sign the peace accord for the election.

The Edo governor alleged that police personnel, who are expected to enforce the peace accord, are working for the APC.

Obaseki claimed that the police have detained 10 PDP members without sufficient evidence or valid cases against them.