PAACA: Voters shouldn’t be afraid of PDP’s refusal to sign peace accord for Edo poll

• On Thursday, political parties and candidates for the Edo governorship election signed a peace accord.
• The PDP did not sign the peace accord.

Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), a civil society organisation (CSO), says the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) refusal to sign the peace accord for the Edo governorship election is a mere partisan tactic.

A peace accord is a formal agreement to promote peaceful elections, prevent violence, and ensure a fair electoral process, crucial for credible and trustworthy outcomes.

On Wednesday, Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, said PDP may not sign the peace accord for the election.

The Edo governor alleged that police personnel, who are expected to enforce the peace accord, are working for the APC.

Obaseki claimed that the police have detained 10 PDP members without sufficient evidence or valid cases against them.

On Thursday, political parties and candidates for the Edo governorship election signed a peace accord, but the PDP refused.

Speaking on the situation on Saturday, Ezenwa Nwagwu, chairman of PAACA, asked voters not to succumb to fear-mongering tactics by politicians.

Nwagwu described the PDP’s refusal as a “partisan tactic” aimed at creating fear and diverting attention from key issues affecting the election.

“The peace accord is not a legally binding document, but a persuasive initiative to promote peaceful conduct among political parties,” he said.

“Its absence does not equate to lawlessness or violence.

“The police and security agencies have a constitutional duty to maintain law and order during the election, regardless of whether a political party signs the peace accord.

“The electoral process in Nigeria is governed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, not by moral agreements.

“The police, working in collaboration with other security agencies, must therefore deploy adequate personnel and resources to prevent violence and ensure that the election proceeds smoothly.

“Any failure in this regard would not be because of the absence of a peace accord but due to a lack of commitment to fulfilling their lawful obligations.”

Nwagu asked the police, civil society, and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a tranquil electoral process, countering anxieties fueled by the peace accord dispute.