Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders have expressed concern over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s omission from signing a peace accord in Edo State.
The governorship election is taking place on Saturday, 21 September 2024, but CSOs and other stakeholders have expressed worry over the conduct of political actors, which may likely cause unrest.
The Edo State Governor and leader of the PDP in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, disclosed on Wednesday that the PDP may not sign the Peace Accord that took place yesterday, accusing the police of acting in the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Yiaga Africa, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI), and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) are the CSOs that raised concerns over the conduct of politicians and their supporters that may negatively impact the upcoming election.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP on Friday night, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said it is disturbing that a political party boycotted the signing of the peace agreement.
“Still, they give reasons that provide an insight into what people should expect. Their decision not to sign the peace agreement reflects how tense the politics has been and will be if nothing is done.
“Confidence is broken, and there is no trust in those managing the election. But I think they should have signed the peace agreement. It is not about the security agencies but about using legal means to express grievances. They sent a significant message, but I think it is also a missed opportunity,” Itodo said.
Also, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani stated that politicians should conduct themselves peacefully, adding that anyone who causes trouble should be held accountable.
“We will hold them accountable if there is a breach of law. Some people want to undermine the election. We have to do everything possible to ensure that we encourage voters not to allow themselves to be used to cause violence,” Rafsanjani added.
Meanwhile, the APC and other political parties signed the Peace Accord initiated by the National Peace Accord Committee (NPAC), led by the former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
At 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.
But the PDP maintained its hard stance on the matter and refused to sign the accord. At the signing ceremony, Dr Aziegbemi and the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, of the PDP, refused to sign the Peace Accord.
Speaking to journalists at the venue of the Peace Accord conversation, chaired by the former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), Edo State PDP Chairman Aziegbemi said that despite the numerous incidents publicly available, the police had decided to arrest his party members while those identified with the APC were roaming the streets of Edo freely.
In his remarks at the ceremony, General Abubakar noted that Governor Obaseki had on Wednesday raised the issue of police bias and set out some conditions the police must meet before the PDP could sign the Peace Accord.
He said he expected Dr Aziegbemi to have stated that before the committee and political parties rather than his outright refusal to sign the accord.
The former Head of State, however, said that the PDP still had the opportunity to sign the Peace Accord by coming to Abuja to do so.
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis of Edo Women for Peaceful and Credible Elections in the state accused the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, of being partisan, especially regarding the arrest of some chieftains and members of the ruling PDP in the state.
Recall that the Police boss confirmed the arrest of Esan West Local Government Council Chairman Collins Aigbogun and others over alleged criminal charges on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for political parties and other stakeholders for the next week governorship election in Edo.
The development, which generated reactions from PDP members and supporters, later led to various agitations in Edo demanding the restoration of peace in the election.
Following the development, women in the state, in large numbers, staged a protest at the venue of the Peace Accord to register their displeasure over their perceived police partisanship in the build-up to the election.
The women, who chanted various solidarity songs and brandished placards with different inscriptions, such as “Police are not contesting in the election,” and “Credible election begins with us,” demanded the immediate redeployment of the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Nemi Edwin-Iwo.
They also called for the unconditional release of PDP members arrested and, according to them, whisked away in a Gestapo-like manner to Abuja by the police.
“Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, please leave our husbands alone; election is not a war,” they said.
The Edo State chapter of the PDP has given conditions under which it would sign the Peace Accord initiated by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Accord Committee (NPAC), ahead of the 21 September governorship election in the state.
Dr Tony Aizegbemi, PDP Edo State Chairman, who addressed a press conference at the party’s secretariat on Thursday evening, said that for the PDP to sign the Peace Accord, all PDP members in detention in police formations across the country must be released, or alternatively, charged to competent courts if they had committed any crime.
Additionally, the party called for the immediate redeployment of the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Nemo Edwin-Iwo, from the state due to his alleged relationship with someone close to the APC.
He also added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr Anugbum Onuoha, is alleged to be a close ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Aizegbemi, who read the two separate letters the party had sent to the NPAC and the INEC, described the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, as grossly incompetent and biased against the PDP. As such, the party had no confidence in him.
Governor Otti Mobilises Igbo Votes for Akpata, Seeks Vigilance
Thousands of Labour Party supporters, including a large population of Igbo residents in Benin, came out on Thursday morning to support the emergence of Edo LP Candidate Olumide Akpata as they welcomed the Governor of Abia State, Mr Alex Otti.
The Abia State Governor, who was in Benin, urged the electorate to be vigilant and work towards the victory of LP Candidate Olumide Akpata and his deputy.
Otti said the forthcoming governorship election in the state, where the party has its candidate Olumide Akpata, is crucial, and they must ensure that their votes are guarded jealously.
Earlier, the party’s Edo State governorship candidate, Barr Olumide Akpata, welcomed the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, to the state. Otti is in Benin City to help encourage the state’s people to vote for him and his running mate, Barr Kadiri Asamah, and not just to address the party faithful.
Journalists Tasked on Conflict-Sensitive Reporting
Experts from the media and civil society have urged journalists to be careful in covering the forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo states to prevent exacerbating tensions and conflicts.
They spoke on Wednesday at a webinar titled: Conflict-Sensitive Reporting and Election: Best Practices and Ethical Considerations.
It was organised by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in collaboration with the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme.
Achike Chude, deputy chairman of the Joint Action Front and national secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Joke Kujenya, executive-in-charge of Media Mentors Journalism Centre; and Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA’s executive director, were among those who spoke.
In his presentation on the topic, “Ethical Considerations and Best Practices for Journalists During Election Reporting,” Chude noted that journalists are responsible for reporting electoral matters to inform the electorate properly.