The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declined to sign the peace accord for the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.

The Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC) and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, announced this at the venue of the signing of the peace accord in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Thursday, September 12.

Abubakar said the PDP declared it would only sign the peace accord if certain conditions were met.

The former Head of State said: “I met the governor yesterday and he told me the PDP is not going to sign this peace accord.

“They had made some observations and I was expecting the chairman of the PDP to come and make that statement, having waited for him this long he chose to announce that the PDP said they are not going to sign and they have got some conditionalities.

“They said that after these conditionalities have been met, they will come to Abuja and sign.”

Edo guber: PDP may not sign Peace Accord ― Obaseki

Other parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, and the Labour Party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, signed the peace accord.

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki had, on Wednesday, said the PDP may not participate in the signing of the peace accord over an allegation that the Nigeria Police Force, responsible for enforcing the accord, is acting in the interest of the APC.

Obaseki alleged that the police, under the alleged manipulation of APC, had arrested 10 PDP chieftains ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election.

The governor said those arrested included the Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Collins Aigbogun.

Obaseki stated that upon learning of the council chairman’s arrest, he reached out to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, and asked that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the state’s jurisdiction.

Obaseki said the directive was flouted, directly undermining his authority as Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state.

He added that the PDP chairman had also written two petitions to the IGP over the harassment of the party leaders, which had not been attended to.

Governor Obaseki, therefore, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the PDP chieftains.

The Star