Edo Poll: ‘Why PDP declined signing peace accord’

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday objected to the signing of the Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) to ensure peaceful elections, alleging bias on the part of the police, the agency responsible for enforcing the peace accord.

Edo State chairman of the party, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, said the police have shown that they are one-sided, adding that, “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.”

He added that entering a peace accord with an umpire who, from the onset, has shown bias, acting in the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and waging war against the PDP, would be unnecessary.

The PDP called for “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 civilised 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.”