September 12, 2024
His Excellency,
General Abdulsalam Abubakar (GCFR)
Chairman,
Peace and Reconciliation Committee
*THE REASONS WHY THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) IS UNABLE TO SIGN THE PEACE ACCORD, AS PRESENTED TODAY, IN RESPECT OF THE SEPTEMBER 21 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION.*
_______ unpalatable reactions as those who are being threatened may have no option but to resort to self-preservative moves .
We welcome Your Excellency to Edo State in pursuit of your Committee’s Statesmanly objective of ensuring peace and security of the citizenry at large in Edo State, particularly in the run up to and in the course of the Gubernatorial election scheduled for the 21st of September, 2024.
Your Excellency and your distinguished committee are no strangers to us in Edo State and the commendable effort of your committee in building a consensus around peace amongst all stakeholders in previous elections is very well documented and applauded.
The people of Edo State are well known to be peaceful and law-abiding, particularly in the conduct of elections and we are certain that Your Excellency, with the benefit of previous experience, will bear witness to this fact.
In the course of preparations for this election however, strange and disturbing new elements have been introduced in particular by a Party that has apparently reached the conclusion that it cannot prevail in a free, fair and peaceful election.
That Party and its senior officials have openly boasted about their intention to deploy ‘Federal Might’ to ensure victory despite the will or wishes of Edo people.
On the 18th of July, 2024, for instance, the said party unleashed its ‘Lions and Tigers’ on the streets of Benin City in a purported attempt to enforce a court order by self-help. Various newspapers and electronic media carried pictures and videos of these known and identifiable gun-wielding APC thugs who marauded the streets of Benin for hours (e.g please see page 15 Vanguard Newspaper on Tuesday, July 23rd 2027) and their activities unfortunately culminated in the death of a Police Officer in what appeared to be a case of friendly fire.
It must be noted that there was no evidence or record of any member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State or official of government as having participated in the unfortunate event of that said day.
Despite this reality, however, the APC has since procured a Rogue Contingent of Policemen who have been given a lengthy list of PDP members and sympathizers and they have since in gestapo fashion embarked on surreptitious arrest of these members of the PDP, who were subsequently whisked to Abuja (or other unknown detention centres), without charge and without bringing them before any Court of Law as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The situation has subsequently degenerated into an all-out reign of terror where members of the APC are acting as pointers for effecting the illegal arrest and rendition of the said PDP members without charge.
This situation threatens to create unpalatable reactions as those who are being threatened may have no option but to resort to self-preservative moves creating the risk of violence, disorder and chaos when we have less than two weeks to a pivotal election.
A breakdown of the list of those who have currently been arrested without charge and remain in unlawful custody at undisclosed locations in Abuja and other places is as set out hereunder:
ARRESTED OR BEING HARRSSED BY THE POLICE
1. Lucky Aidenya
2. Festus Unuabor
3. Maxwell
4. Francis Inegbeneki
5. Dr. Kelly Inedegbor
6. Saugie Enabulele
7. Festus Ovienloba
8. Moha Haruna
9. Luke Einojie
10. Gabriel Omhenra
11. Emmanuel Oroto
12. Noel Mathews
13. Amos Tom Udehagene
14. Osi Imojire
15. Kingsley Osehon
16. Kehinde Olotu and many more.
THE FOLLOWING ARE IN POLICE CUSTODY FOR UPWARDS OF TWO WEEKS
1. Noel Mathews
2. Amos Tom Udehagene
3. Osi Imojire
4. Kingsley Osehon
5. Kehinde Olotu and many more.
THE FOLLOWING ARE DECLARED WANTED BY THE POLICE
1. Dr. Kelly Inedegbor
2. Emmanuel Oroto
3. Moha Haruna
4. Luke Einojie
5. Festus Unuabor
6. Gabriel Omhenra and many more.
In the circumstances, it will be quite clear that nothing would be more unfair, unconscionable and in fact, unreasonable than to request a party that is currently under a vicious attack by the opposing Party, utilizing the illegal services of state security agents to step forward to sign a Peace Accord under these circumstances.
The way forward As things stand today, the Peoples Democratic Party and in fact, the people of Edo State, believe that certain minimum steps must be immediately taken to create an atmosphere of fairness and balance, and a level playing field as a non-negotiable requirement for the enthronement of peace and security in the run-up to the election:
i) The immediate and unconditional release/production of all persons currently in unlawful custody or all these persons if alleged to have committed any crime should be immediately brought before a court of competent jurisdiction in compliance with all civilized constitutional processes.
ii) The immediate redeployment of:
a) the current Edo State Commissioner of Police
b) the current Resident Electoral Commissioner REC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and their replacement with persons who can exhibit fairness and balance in the performance of their functions and who do not have any links to the contending parties or vested interests in the process.
iii) The immediate recall of any external Police Team/Squad from Abuja or any other location in Nigeria currently marauding in Edo State, illegally arresting perceived political opponents and creating undue tension in the State.
iv) An undertaking and commitment by the Nigeria Police and INEC to operate a level playing field without allowing themselves to become a private army at the behest of one of the contending parties.
We wish to state that our party and our candidates have the utmost confidence in the goodwill and peace-loving nature of Edo people and we are willing to submit ourselves to their democratic choice under a free, fair and untainted process.
At present, it is clear that the basis for peace and the conduct of a peaceful election are not in place. Accordingly, once the conditions presented above have been met, we will be ready to immediately make ourselves available to sign the Peace Accord.
In conclusion, therefore, we offer Your Excellency and your distinguished committee members the very best of our complement and regards.
Yours Faithfully,
Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi
Chairman,
Peoples Democratic Party, Edo State