Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the upcoming September 21 election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has give condition that his party will sign the peace accord as other political parties did once the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force meet his party conditions. Ighodalo was speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ yesterday lamenting that police have arrested some PDP members and detained without being charged to court.
According to the PDP Flag bearer, his party is ready to sign the peace accord just like the other parties in the election once his supporters were released from detention.
Ighodalo said “We had several conditions, most of which have now been met with one left. Many of our guys have been held unjustly.
“We think if you hold guys, you charge them or let them go on bail. So, either they charge all our guys or let them go on bail. Once that is achieved we will sign the peace accord,” Ighodalo said.
He kicks that the major reason his party declined to sign the peace accord was the denial of a level playing ground by the federal government through the police although the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has assured the party of neutrality, maintaining that his camp preaches non-violence and that will not change any time.
Recalls that on Thursday last week, all political parties that will be participating in the Edo election signed a peace accord with promise to shun violence, but the PDP declined to participate in what has become a pre-election ritual in Nigeria’s electoral space.
Former Head of State, General Adulsalami Abubakar, who is the head of the Peace Committee, had said that PDP chieftain and outgoing governor (Obaseki) said the party won’t sign the peace pact over some allegations levelled against the police.
This was as PDP Chairman in the state, Tony Aziegbemi, also staged a workout of the peace pact venue in protest on Thursday.
While leaving, he told journalists that a member of his party who doubles as Esan West Local Government Area Chairman, Collins Aigbogu, was picked up by the police days ago and had not been released.
