less than two hours before the scheduled signing of the Peace Accord among rival political parties in anticipation of the governorship election on September 21, the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced its reluctance to participate in the signing of the accord.
This stance comes just 12 hours after Governor Godwin Obaseki, during a meeting with General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Chairman of the Presidential Peace Committee and former Head of State, expressed that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), might not sign the peace accord due to a loss of confidence in both the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
During a press conference held at the party secretariat, Emperor Jarret Tenebe stated that their decision not to sign was influenced by several factors, including the fact that more than two months had passed since the shooting death of Inspector Onuh Akor, who served as the orderly to the party’s candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, along Airport Road. He noted that despite assurances from former Commissioner of Police Funsho, who claimed that the command had identified the individuals responsible for Inspector Akor’s murder at the Benin airport, no arrests or prosecutions had taken place.
He alleged that rather than being apprehended, those responsible are reportedly being sheltered in the governor’s residence. Tenebe stated, ‘This inaction on the part of the police has emboldened State Governor Godwin Obaseki and his Peoples Democratic Party to relentlessly target members of our political party at rally venues and in their private businesses.
He asserted that the governor has made provocative remarks that undermine his role as the Chief Security Officer of the State. He detailed the various assaults the APC campaign team has faced in different communities, including Akoko-Edo, Etsako Central, and Esan West local government areas, while rallying support for the election.
In light of this alarming and perilous trend, Governor Obaseki remained silent and refused to denounce the attacks in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state. Instead, Odion Olaye, the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Edo State, who was in Obaseki’s presence, openly threatened that, ‘Nigeria will burn if INEC does not declare the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, as the winner of the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election.
He highlighted several other PDP leaders who he claimed have openly bragged about their ability to act with impunity. He noted that the party’s petition to the police regarding these incidents, which included the names of the suspects, has not been addressed.
He stated, ‘The essence of these incidents is Governor Obaseki’s reluctance to promote peace and the failure of security agencies to ensure a safe environment for the upcoming election scheduled for September 21, 2024.
As a condition for signing the peace accord, Tenebe emphasized that the police must take visible action to declare those implicated in the killing of the officer—who is reportedly being sheltered in government custody—as wante
