Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Thursday, declined signing the Peace Accord for the September 21 gubernatorial elections in the State, and instead, gave conditions for a free, fair and credible poll.
While accusing the police responsible for enforcing the accord of partiality, the national chairman of the party, Illiya Damagum, however, called for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner and the Commissioner of Police over alleged bias against the party and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo.
But 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 the former military Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar, the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), eventually signed the agreement for a peaceful governorship election in the state on September 21.
Curiously, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has arraigned the detained members of the PDP at a magistrate court in Abuja, after Governor Godwin Obaseki accused the IG of working with the APC.
This was as the Edo State Government, described the Director of Media of Edo APC Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, as the mouthpiece of the police for attempting to spin the events of the signing of the Peace Accord.
Nevertheless, the PDP candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, has said the reason Edo State must vote him and his party is because of the need to have people who can offer good governance in office.
However, the PDP, through its State Chairman, Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, had insisted, that his members and chieftains, who had been illegally arrested by the Police and whisked to secret holding centres in Abuja be immediately and unconditionally released or charged to a court of competent jurisdiction before it would consider the signing of the accord.
Aziegbemi, in a statement, said it would only be unfair, unconscionable and unreasonable to request a party that is currently under a vicious attack by the opposing Party, utilising the illegal services of the police to step forward to sign a Peace Accord.
He further demanded an undertaking by the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to operate a level playing field and not allow themselves to be used as a private army by one of the parties in the election.
“The people of Edo State are well known to be peaceful and law-abiding, particularly in the conduct of elections and we are certain that Your Excellency, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, with the benefit of previous experience, will bear witness to this fact.
“In the course of preparations for this election however, strange and disturbing new elements have been introduced in particular by a party that has apparently reached the conclusion that it cannot prevail in a free, fair and peaceful election.
“That party and its senior officials have openly boasted about their intention to deploy ‘Federal Might’ to ensure victory despite the will or wishes of Edo people.
“On the 18th of July, 2024, for instance, the said party unleashed its ‘Lions and Tigers’ on the streets of Benin City in a purported attempt to enforce a court order by self-help.
“Various newspapers and electronic media carried pictures and videos of these known and identifiable gun-wielding APC thugs, who marauded the streets of Benin for hours (e.g please see page 15 Vanguard Newspaper on Tuesday, July 23rd 2027) and their activities unfortunately culminated in the death of a Police Officer in what appeared to be a case of friendly fire.
“It must be noted that there was no evidence or record of any member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State or official of government as having participated in the unfortunate event of that said day.
“Despite this reality, however, the APC has since procured a Rogue Contingent of Policemen, who have been given a lengthy list of PDP members and sympathizers and they have since in gestapo fashion embarked on surreptitious arrest of these members of the PDP, who were subsequently whisked to Abuja (or other unknown detention centres), without charge and without bringing them before any Court of Law as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The situation has subsequently degenerated into an all-out reign of terror where members of the APC are acting as pointers for effecting the illegal arrest and rendition of the said PDP members without charge.
“This situation threatens to create unpalatable reactions as those who are being threatened may have no option but to resort to self-preservative moves creating the risk of violence, disorder and chaos when we have less than two weeks to a pivotal election.”
According to him, persons arrested or being harassed by the police included Lucky Aidenya, Festus Unuabor, Maxwell, Francis Inegbeneki, Dr. Kelly Inedegbor, Saugie Enabulele, Festus Ovienloba and Moha Haruna.
Others were Luke Einojie, Gabriel Omhenra, Emmanuel Oroto, Noel Mathews, Amos Tom Udehagene, OsiImojire, Kingsley Osehon, Kehinde Olotu and many more.
He listed those in police custody for upwards of two weeks to include Noel Mathews, Amos Tom Udehagene, OsiImojire, Kingsley Osehon and Kehinde Olotu and many more
Those who have been declared wanted by the Police were Dr. Kelly Inedegbor, Emmanuel Oroto, Moha Haruna, Luke Einojie, Festus Unuabor, Gabriel Omhenra and many more
“In the circumstances, it will be quite clear that nothing would be more unfair, unconscionable and in fact, unreasonable than to request a party that is currently under a vicious attack by the opposing Party, utilizing the illegal services of state security agents to step forward to sign a Peace Accord under these circumstances,” Aziegbemi added.
On the way forward, the Edo PDP chairman stated, “As things stand today, the Peoples Democratic Party and in fact, the people of Edo State, believe that certain minimum steps must be immediately taken to create an atmosphere of fairness and balance, and a level playing field as a non-negotiable requirement for the enthronement of peace and security in the run-up to the election:
“The immediate and unconditional release/production of all persons currently in unlawful custody or all these persons if alleged to have committed any crime should be immediately brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in compliance with all civilized constitutional processes.
“The immediate redeployment of the current Edo State Commissioner of Police and the current Resident Electoral Commissioner REC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and their replacement with persons who can exhibit fairness and balance in the performance of their functions and who do not have any links to the contending parties or vested interests in the process
“The immediate recall of any external Police Team/Squad from Abuja or any other location in Nigeria currently marauding in Edo State, illegally arresting perceived political opponents and creating undue tension in the State.
“An undertaking and commitment by the Nigeria Police and INEC to operate a level playing field without allowing themselves to become a private army at the behest of one of the contending parties.”
On his part, the PDP national chairman, Damagum, has called on Egbetokun to reinstate the Edo security network, being a product of the Edo State House of Assembly and duly signed into law by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Addressing an emergency press conference in Abuja, Damagum also called on all international Democratic agencies to note the manifest bias of the officials of the Nigeria Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“The IGP must recognise his duty to the Nigerian people, the constitution and the sustenance of peace and security in Edo State and the entire nation.
“The IGP should immediately redeploy the Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Nemo Edwin-Iwo so as to guarantee confidence, peace and security during the Edo State governorship election.
“The IGP should immediately release of all members of the PDP being detained by the Police. The IGP should desist from interfering in the activities of Edo State Security Corps, a body lawfully established under the law.
“The PDP demands that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu immediately redeploys the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Dr. Anugbum Onuoha from the State especially now that people are already agitated against this obnoxious appointment.
“This is not only to guarantee a credible governorship election in Edo State but also to avert the ugly scenario witnessed in the 2023 Adamawa State Governorship election where a biased Resident Electoral Commissioner and other INEC officials nearly lost their lives in the hands of agitated electorate,” Damagum stated
In the same vein, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has called on Egbetokun, to ensure the immediate release of the arrested leaders of the PDP in Edo State.
Atiku raised concerns about the timing of the arrest of the PDP leaders, as they occurred just before the Edo State governorship election.
In a statement posted on the X platform, Atiku criticised the police and other security agencies for making such arrests at a critical moment, calling it a serious violation. He argued that using federal resources to target political opponents undermines democracy.
Atiku emphasised that if there was no valid reason for detaining the Edo PDP leaders, they should be released. However, if there were legitimate reasons, they should be taken to court.
“The time has come for our security agencies to be called to account. It is a grievous affront to the ideals of peace and harmony when, on the cusp of an off-season election, these agencies arbitrarily detain local leaders of the @OfficialPDPNig, thus robbing the opposition of the essential tools that would allow it to remain a competitive force,” he wrote.
Atiku urged the IG and other security officials to either release the detained Edo PDP members or present them in court if there were credible charges, warning that democracy was threatened when state resources were used to intimidate political opponents.
APC Buckles, Signs Peace Pact
The APC, on Thursday, signed the agreement for a peaceful governorship election in Edo State, less than two hours after it announced that it would not sign the Peace Accord.
At the venue of 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.
IG Arraigns Detained PDP Chieftains
Meanwhile, the detained PDP members were said to have been arraigned by the IG at a distant Magistrate Court in the suburb of Abuja, far away from where the crimes were allegedly committed.
In the document, with charge No CR/DUI/714/24 and cited by THISDAY, the Inspector General of Police arraigned the detained PDP chieftains in connection with the Airport Road incident of Thursday, July 18, 2024, even though there was said to be no evidence to show that they were at the scene of the said event.
Rather, there were said to be video evidence and a newspaper publication of the incident which identified the faces of the gun-wielding thugs and members of the APC,who carried out the destruction of property and breach of public peace on the said date.
Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun, who was recently arrested in his local council and whisked to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, who had approached the police to give evidence after he was attacked and shot at, was among those arraigned by the IGP.
The PDP described the move by the IG as a mere subterfuge, noting that it was all part of efforts to advance the devious plans by the APC, which had repeatedly boasted of using ‘Federal Might’ to ensure victory against the will or wishes of Edo people, having realised that they didn’t stand a chance of victory in a free, fair and credible election.
Also, thousands of Edo women, converged on Benin City, to protest against police partiality in the run-up to the governorship election, demanding the release of their husbands, children, sons and fathers who were illegally arrested and detained by the Police in collusion with the APC.
The Edo women matched in their numbers through major roads within the Benin metropolis, from King Square through Airport Road, among others, carrying placards with various inscriptions to register their displeasure over the partiality of the police leading to the politically motivated arrest and detention of their family members.
The protesters who were all dressed in black attire also made a stop at the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub in Benin City, which is the venue for the signing of the Peace Accord for the September 21 governorship election, demanding for a free, fair and credible election in the State.
Some of the women who spoke to our correspondents called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rein in the Inspector General of Police to avoid a breakdown of law and order and avert the impending crisis in the State.
Also, Team Asue Media Organisation (TAMO), has condemned the alleged collusion between the APC and the police, saying it has thrown its weight behind Governor Godwin Obaseki’s refusal to sign the peace accord.
In a statement in Benin City by its Coordinator, Erhabor Emokpae, TAMO insisted that the governor was right in rejecting the appeal to sign the peace accord.
He said the police had not demonstrated the needed conviction of neutrality but on the contrary continued to show that they were “a willing tool in the hands of the APC by arresting and harassing PDP members at will while ignoring the criminal actions of APC thugs and operatives.”
Afegbua Now Police’s Mouthpiece, Says Govt
The Edo State Government has described the Director of Media of Edo APC campaign council, Kassim Afegbua, as the mouthpiece of the police.
It said, rather perplexing that Afegbua was now standing brief for the Police, to accept the PDP purported ‘boycott’ of the September 21governorship election in Edo State.
“We make bold to say that the only reason we are honouring his rants with a response is because he has now curiously taken to the rostrum to speak on behalf of the police that has shown obvious and irrefutable bias by its actions leading to the election.
“What transpired at the event was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) simply refraining from signing the Peace Accord unless conditions it has put forward to ensure a level playing field for all participants in the election are met. This is not too much to ask for in the circumstances.
“For anyone in doubt, pray tell why the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is running helter-skelter to now charge persons his office has held in captivity for close to two months in court just today after we made good our threat to decline signing the Peace pact.
“That Afegbua is now confirming all doubt that the APC are in bed with the Police by commending the Police chief is enough reason to reaffirm our conviction on the APC and the Police’s sinister game plan for the election.”
Ighodalo: Why Edo Should Vote for Us
Governorship candidate of the PDP in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Dr Asue Ighodalo, has given as part of the reasons Edo State should vote for the him and the PDP, was the need to have people who can offer good governance in office.
Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting organised by the Edo State Chapter of the National Youth Council (NYC), in Benin City, Ighodalo said it was because the country, and by extension Edo, were facing many challenges and therefore needed people who would face those challenges head-on and proffer lasting solutions for the good of all.
“Do you know why we need to vote for a good government in Edo State? It is because our country is facing so many challenges and our state is affected by those challenges and there is the need for us as the people of Edo State to take those challenges head-on.
“Think about the prices of goods in the country today, rice, beans, yams, talk of petrol and transportation. Look at the exchange rate. So, you see, that there are challenges and we must find the right people to do the right things.
“Therefore, we need experienced men and women, who have the competence and capacity and the know-how to tackle those problems and get a solution that will better the lives of all of us.
“The September 21 governorship election is, therefore, a thing that is between light and darkness, between good and evil and between going forward into the next century or going back to the 17th century.
“I therefore beg you to go out on September 21 and cast your vote, monitor it and ensure it is counted and follow it up so that bad people won’t short change us.”
Chuks Okocha and Adibe Emenyonu
Follow us on:
