FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Less than two hours after it announced that it would not sign the Peace Accord initiated by the National Peace Accord Committee, NPAC, under the leadership of a former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, finally signed the agreement to pave way for a peaceful governorship election on September 21.
The APC, it would be recalled, had at a press conference yesterday addressed by its State Chairman, Emperor Jaret Tenebe, said it was not disposed to signing the peace accord because of the failure of the police to arrest the suspects named in the killing of Inspector Akor Anuh, one of the security details attached to its governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on July 18
along Airport Road, Benin City.
But at the venue of the signing ceremony held at Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, the APC, represented by Tenebe and Okpebholo, signed the peace accord.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, maintained its hard stance on the matter and refused to sign the accord.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, it would be recalled, had while receiving General Abubakar on Wednesday, stated that the PDP would not sign the accord because of the bias of the police against the party.
The governor, who detailed the war of attrition that the police had waged against the PDP, especially the arrest of its members across the state, said the party would not sign the peace accord because the police which was expected to implement the agreement is already biased on the side of the APC.
The governor’s position was reinforced by the party’s state chairman, Dr Tony Aziegnemi, who accused the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of bias.
At the signing ceremony, Dr Aziegbemi and the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo refused to sign the peace accord
The PDP, in declining to sign the peace accord, said its action was based on alleged partisan disposition of the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking to journalists at the venue of the peace accord parley, Aziegbemi said despite the avalanche of incidents available in the public, the police had decided to arrest his party members, while those identified in the APC were roaming the streets of Edo freely.
his remarks, General Abubakar noted that Governor Obaseki had on Wednesday raised issues of police bias and set out some conditions to be met before PDP could sign the peace accord
He said he expected 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 the PDP still has the opportunity of signing the peace accord by coming to Abuja to do so.
Meanwhile, a group under the aegis of Edo Women for Peaceful and Credible Elections accused the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, of being partisan, especially with the arrest of some chieftains and members of the ruling PDP.
It would be recalled that the police boss had on Wednesday during a stakeholders meeting organised by INEC confirmed the arrest of Esan West Local Government Chairman, Collins Aigbogun and others over alleged criminal charges.
The development, which generated reactions from members and supporters of the PDP, later led to different agitations in Edo, demanding neutrality.
Following the development, women in the state staged a protest at the venue of the peace accord to register their displeasure over the perceived police partisanship in the build up to the election.
The women, who chanted solidarity songs and brandished placards with different inscriptions, demanded the immediate redeployment of the Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo.
The also called for the unconditional release of PDP members arrested and whisked away in a gestapo-like-manner to Abuja by the police.
