PDP Declines To Sign INEC Peace Accord In Gombe
……Says candidate most attacked
….police debunk PVC cloning in Gombe
Chima Azubuike
The Peoples Democratic Party, Gombe State chapter on Wednesday declined to sign the peace accord organised by Independent National Electoral Commission Gombe State in collaboration with Inter-agency consultative committee on election security.
Speaking, the Chairman, Maj.Gen. Amnon Kwaskebe (retd.), said the police have failed to protect the party and its facilities in the state.
He explained that he would not blame the absence of his gubernatorial candidate Muhammad Barde, whom he described as the “most attacked gubernatorial candidate in the state.”
Recall that the PERISCOPE NIGERIA had reported that 18 political would participate in elections in the state, with 14 presenting candidates for gubernatorial election.
Our Correspondent reports that the Peace Accord is voluntary and not mandatory for political parties to participate, however, its a mediation process which would help forestall violences.
He said, “Our decline to sign is a decision of the leadership of the party at the state level. All of you are aware of what has been happening to the PDP in terms of attacks on facilities. We have reported officially to all the security agencies especially the lead security agency, nothing was done that is why you have seen our gubernatorial candidate is not here, I don’t blame him for not coming, I have come as party chairman.
“Our candidate is the most attacked gubernatorial candidate, we have tried to report officially without reacting and police have not taken any action. We have declined to sign this document.”
On lack of confidence in the process, the chairman said, “we have confidence in the process but you build peace on established peace.”
In a separate interview with Journalists, Commissioner of Police, who doubles as the Co-chair Oqua Etim, decried the decision of Peoples Democratic Party not to sign the peace accord.
“It is unfortunate that PDP out of 18 parties didn’t sign, is not only their billboards that were destroyed. Is it only one political party’s billboard that was destroyed, even churches billboards are destroyed, we have a signage agency, have they tried to find out who actually destroyed the billboards.
“Can billboards vote?” Etim asked.
On buying of Permanent Voters Cards, Etim said it was irrelevant for political parties to buy up PVCs, “They should stop making wild allegations, if you take ATM to the bank, do you take the pins.”
On his part, Resident Electoral Commissioner Ibrahim Umar, said buying of PVCs at the moment is foolhardy, noting that technology has made it so.
He said, “It is very abnormal, because of technology, I don’t know what you mean by cloning PVCs?
“If you come with PVC not your own, you will not be accredited.”
On political parties participation, “it is their wish, we are not coercing anybody. We signed the last accord in 2019 and it was successful.Gombe has 14 governorship candidates; 13 signed and it fair. Since it is not compulsory.”
Also, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, said progress and the needed development would only thrive in a peaceful society, adding “As the governor I’m the chief security officer of the state and APC is the ruling party not only in Gombe but in the entire federation. It only when there is peace, security and tranquility that there will be good governance, we are after good governance.”
