Taiwo Popoola
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has indicated that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may not sign the Peace Accord.
Obaseki alleged that the police, responsible for enforcing the accord, have shown through their actions that they are acting in the interest of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) and waging war against the PDP.
The governor made this statement when he received the Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who was on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Benin City, Edo State, ahead of the signing of the Peace Accord on September 12, 2024.
Obaseki, in a statement he personally signed on September 10, noted that since the commencement of the electioneering process in the state, the actions of the police have demonstrated bias.
During his interaction with Abubakar in Benin City, the governor expressed concern that the police, under the influence of the APC, have arrested not less than 10 PDP chieftains perceived as strong political opposition, including the serving Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Hon. Collins Aigbogun, who was arrested and taken to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He noted that upon learning of the council chairman’s arrest, he reached out to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, requesting that due process be followed and that the matter be handled within the state’s jurisdiction.
This directive was flouted, directly undermining his authority as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state.
The governor also noted that the PDP chairman had written two petitions to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the harassment of party leaders, which have not been addressed.
Obaseki questioned how one could enter a peace accord with an umpire who, from the onset, has shown bias in favor of one of the parties in the election.
The governor also demanded the immediate unconditional release of the PDP chieftains who were arrested in a Gestapo-style by the police and taken to secret holding centers. He noted that if these PDP leaders were legally arrested, they should be charged in courts in Benin City to answer for any infractions they are alleged to have committed.
According to him, “You are very conversant with the politics of Edo State. You were here in 2020, and we had a very heated election. You know this is an off-cycle election and there is a lot of attention.
“Unlike 2020, I am very worried about the developments in the state today. The party met yesterday, and we might not likely sign this agreement. This is the first time we are witnessing that the person who is supposed to keep and enforce the peace accord is now an active participant in creating a destructive environment.”
Meanwhile, the State Chairman of the PDP, Anthony Aziegbemi, raised concerns over the deployment of associates of former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state and as the Edo Commissioner of Police in the lead-up to the September 21 governorship election.
