President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rebuffed Bishop Matthew Kukah claim that he did not sign the Peace Accord ahead the 2023 Presidential Election.
The president’s rebuttal was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday.
Recall that Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese had while reacting to the refusal of the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to sign the Peace Accord promoted by the Gen Abdusalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee, ahead the governorship election in the state said the party cannot be forced because Tinubu did not also sign the agreement last year.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, the PDP leader in the state had cited the harassment of PDP officials and deployment of Special Forces to the state by the Nigerian Police, few days to the election as one of the reasons why the PDP declined to sign the agreement.
The governorship election has been fixed for Septembet 21 by the Independent national Electoral Commission, INEC.
Reacting to Bishop Kukah’s remark, Tinubu said he signed two peace agreement ahead the presidential election last year.
According to Onanuga in a message posted on his verified X handle, @aonanuga1956, the first accord, signed on September 29, 2022, committed candidates to a free and credible election in the country. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu at the signing.
The second agreement, signed on February 23, 2023, required candidates to accept the election outcome, and Tinubu personally signed it, he said.
Onanuga said, “Contrary to the claims by Bishop Kukah, President Tinubu signed the two peace accords preceding his election in 2023.
“The first accord, committing the candidates to a free and credible election in the country, was signed on September 29, 2022. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Tinubu.
“The second agreement, signed on February 23, 2023, was for the candidates to accept the election outcome. Tinubu signed.”
Meanwhile, tension has mounted ahead the governorship election in the state this weekend.
The three leading political parties, the PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Labour Party, LP have vowed to win the election.
The governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki has worsened the tension after he described the election as “do or die”.
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