Edo 2024: APC In U-turn, Signs Peace Accord, PDP Opts Out

By Akinwale Kasali

In an about-turn which not many people saw coming, the Edo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, finally signed a peace accord against the September 21, 2024 Governorship election.

A couple of hours before it signed the Peace Accord prepared by the National Peace Committee, which Chairman is former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the APC had said its Candidate and the Party will not sign it.

Giving reasons why it would not sign,  the Party’s State Chairman, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, attributed it to the killing of  Police Inspector, Onuh Akor, attached to its Governorship Candidate, Senator Monday  Okpebholo, along the Airport Road.

Akor was in company with Okpebholo on their arrival to Benin from Abuja when he was shot and killed. The shot was fired at Okpebholo’s convoy and sadly, killed his Orderly.

The Police has not been able to crack the case and bring to book those who perpetrated the crime, even when the Edo State Commissioner of Police at the time had said  the Command had the names of the culprits.

But two hours later, the APC made a U-turn and signed.

However, of all the 18 Political Parties and their Candidates, only the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its Candidate, Asue Ighodalo did not sign.

While welcoming General Abubakar to his office, the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has strongly hinting that the PDP and its Candidate may likely not sign the Peace Accord.

Giving reasons, Obaseki  stated that the PDP has lost faith in the Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun and the Nigeria Police which he leads.

Governor Obaseki expressed concerns about the conduct of the Police and other Security Agencies, and accused them of actively participating in actions aimed at disrupting the election process.

He cited as examples, the arrest of some PDP chieftains, including a Local Government Chairman, by the Police and shipped them to Abuja where they are in custody.

Obaseki to General Abubakar: “You were here in 2020, and just like you rightly said, this is an off-cycle election – there’s a lot of attention.

“Unlike 2020, I am very worried because from the development – and where we are today – to sign the peace pact. But the person who is supposed to enforce peace is now an active participant in creating a disruptive process.

“We had situations where, from the IG’s, armed men just came into Edo State to invade, arrest, and take away PDP members. As we speak, there are about ten in detention in Abuja without trial.

“Two days ago, they came to pick up a Local Government Chairman. He was on his way home, attacked, and shot at. He reported that the Police asked him to come give evidence, but he was arrested. As I speak, he is in Abuja.

“Even if offences were committed in Edo State, why would you not try them here? Why take them to Abuja? Are they offences of high treason? And why not even charge them to court in Abuja?”

Obaseki accused the police of undermining his authority as the State’s Chief Security Officer.

He recounted how he sought the intervention of the Edo State Commissioner of Police in one of the arrest cases, only for the Commissioner to facilitate the suspect’s transfer to Abuja before dawn the following day.

“The Police came in and obtained a warrant to arrest 60 PDP supporters. All these to drive all our leaders into hiding. So, for me, my role as the Chief Security Officer is being made nonsense of by the IG.

“I called the Commissioner and let him look into it. He said he would get back to me. The next day, he moved him to Abuja before 4.00am. So, how can we sign a peace accord?

“Clearly, what we are seeing is that they want to have a violent election. They would use the forces of coercion and intimidation to win the election by hook and crook whether we like it or not. That’s the message.

“It’s why we say that everybody arrested is released or brought back to Edo to try them for whatever offence they have committed until we can do anything. We have no confidence that the police will protect us in this election.”

Speculations are rife that the APC and its Candidate could change their mind and rescind the decision by signing the Peace Accord.