PDP may not sign Edo guber peace accord, Obaseki tells Abdulsalami

Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not sign the peace accord for the governorship election in the state.

The election has been slated for September 21, 2024.

During a visit by Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military head of state and chairman of the national peace committee, the governor alleged that police personnel, who are expected to enforce the peace accord, are working for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obaseki claimed that the police force has detained 10 PDP members, including an LGA chairman, without sufficient evidence or valid cases against them.

“You are very conversant with the politics of Edo State. You were here in 2020, and we had a very heated election. You know this is an off-cycle election, and there is a lot of attention,” he said.

“Unlike 2020, I am very worried about the developments in the state today. The party met yesterday, and we may not sign this agreement.

“This is the first time we are witnessing that the entity supposed to maintain and enforce the peace accord is now actively creating a destructive environment.

“The opposition party in the state, the APC, has always argued that they may not be as popular and didn’t win in the last election, but they have promised to use federal power to determine the outcome of this election.

“We thought it was just rhetoric, but in the last four weeks, we’ve had a situation where from the office of the IGP, armed police gangs have entered Edo state to invade, arrest, and take away PDP members.

“As we speak, 10 PDP members are arrested and detained in Abuja without trial. Two days ago, they arrested a local government chairman.

“The chairman was heading home when he was attacked and shot at. We reported the incident, and the police asked him to provide evidence. He complied, but instead of investigating, they arrested him. As I speak, he is in Abuja.”

On Wednesday, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) arrested a supernumerary (popularly called SPY) police officer who accused Obaseki of mismanaging public funds.

In a viral video, a man in a police uniform accused Obaseki and Asue Ighodalo, governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo, of allegedly “using state resources” to build personal projects.

Muyiwa Adejobi, force spokesperson, said while SPY officers are not conventional policemen, the police frowned at the wearing of his SPY uniform to engage in political activities.