The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced it will not sign the Peace Accord ahead of the upcoming Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21. This decision comes less than two hours before the accord was set to be signed by all major political parties.
The APC’s announcement follows a series of contentious issues and allegations surrounding the state’s security situation. Emperor Jarret Tenebe, a spokesperson for the APC, explained that the party’s decision was influenced by several critical factors.
One of the primary reasons cited was the lack of progress in the investigation of the murder of Inspector Onuh Akor.
The police officer, who was assigned to APC candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo, was killed over two months ago on Airport Road. Despite claims by former Commissioner of Police Funsho that they had the names of the suspects, no arrests have been made.
Tenebe said, “This failure of the police has emboldened the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his Peoples Democratic Party to attack members of our political party at rally grounds and in their private business premises ceaselessly.”
He claimed that the governor has made inflammatory statements that have undermined his position as the Chief Security Officer of the State.
He chronicled the various attacks the APC campaign team have suffered in different communities Akoko-Edo, Etsako Central, and Esan West local government area while mobilising supporters for the election.
“In the wake of this very worrisome and dangerous trend, Governor Obaseki kept mute and refused to condemn the attacks as the Chief Security Officer of the state. Instead, one Odion Olaye, the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress in Edo State, while in the company of Obaseki, openly threatened the country that, “Nigeria will burn if INEC fails to declare the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo as the winner of the September 21, 2024 gubernatorial election.”
He mentioned several other chieftains of the PDP who he alleged have publicly boasted that they would do anything and get away with it and that the party’s petition to the police about these incidents with the names of suspects attached have not been treated.
