Kukah: PDP Cannot Be Compelled by Committee to Adhere to Peace Accord Signed by Tinubu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declined to participate in the pre-election peace agreement that has become customary in recent elections.

Bishop Matthew Hassan-Kukah, of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, has explained why the PDP should not be compelled to sign the peace accord for the 2024 Edo governorship election.

The peace pact, initiated by the National Peace Committee, aimed to prevent electoral violence and has been a tradition for the last ten years.

During a discussion at the Edo Election Security Townhall event in Benin City, Bishop Kukah, a member of the National Peace Committee, mentioned that the organization cannot enforce participation from any candidates.

He highlighted that although the PDP’s decision not to sign sends a negative message to the public, it is not unprecedented, as current President Bola Tinubu also skipped signing the agreement while he was a candidate.

“The National Peace Committee operates on a moral basis, not a legal one. You cannot force individuals to promote goodwill among others,” Kukah remarked.

“In the 2015 elections, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s presidential candidate, initially did not sign the Peace Accord, but later joined in. Interestingly, the current president also chose not to sign back then, and it was not our responsibility if the opposition failed to leverage that situation.”

“While it is unfortunate, we will not pursue any legal action against those who choose not to sign. However, their refusal sends a concerning message that can be used by opposition parties against them,” he concluded.