Peace Accord: We Can’t Force Edo PDP, Tinubu Didn’t Sign In 2022 — Kukah

• Says Committee’s work not in Electoral Act. It’s moral.

BY ONYEKACHUKWU IBEZIM – With mounting criticisms and tension trailing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s refusal to sign the Peace Accord ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan-Kukah, says it is unfortunate the party took a cue from President Bola Tinubu’s bad precedent set in 2022.

However, the respected Clergy cautioned that political parties and their candidates’ failure to publicly demonstrate commitment to non-violent electoral processes in the country has been sending wrong signals to Nigerians and the international Community.

Speaking during the Edo Election Security Town Hall in Benin City, the State capital on Sunday, Bishop Kukah lamented that the PDP decided to play act from the poor script written by Tinubu before the February 2023 presidential poll.

This is as he admitted that the National Peace Accord Committee (NPAC) is not in any position to force candidates or parties to sign the Peace pact which has become an electoral ritual in the country over the last decade.

The Town Hall programme was put together by Channels Television in collaboration with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) and the UK International Development.

According to Kukah; “It’s a pity, but we are not going to take anybody to court for not signing the Peace Accord. The only thing it does to you as a candidate is that it sends a wrong signal which can be very easily exploited by the opposition”.

The Catholic Priest, who is one of the Conveners of the NPAC led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, further said; “The National Peace Committee, what we do is not in the Electoral Act, it’s not law; it’s moral. You can’t compel people to fall in love or love their neighbour.”

Going down memory lane, he said; “If you go back to the 2015 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the presidential candidate for the PDP, was not there to sign the Peace Accord. And of course, the opposition went to town, which is what it ought to be, and the next day, he (Atiku) turned up to sign.

“What is also very interesting is that the current President, when he was a presidential candidate, did not sign; it wasn’t our fault that the political opposition didn’t take advantage of it.”

Bishop Kukah was referring to the September 2022 Forum where the former Lagos State Governor and then APC presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Bola Tinubu, failed to sign the Peace Accord endorsed by other candidates in the race.

The current Vice President and his running mate then, Kashim Shettima reportedly showed up at the event to represent him.

Bishop Kukah further said; “It’s a pity but we are not going to take anybody to court for not signing the Peace Accord. The only thing it does to you as a candidate is that it sends a wrong signal which can be very easily exploited by the opposition”.

Forefront News had reported that the governing party, PDP shunned the Peace Accord ritual last week over  allegations of bias against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

But despite the PDP’s hard stance,  other leading contenders, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP) were on hand to sign the Peace pact for the Edo governorship election which has 17 political parties fielding candidates in the contest.