Controversial Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan-Kukah, has lamented over the recent trend of political parties and their candidates, refusing to sign the Peace Accord.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the initiative, which is said to be a ritual in shunning violence, during elections have been ignored by politicians.
Kukah’s reaction is coming, following the recent rejection of the Edo state’s Peoples Democratic Party, in signing the Peace Accord, ahead of the state’s September 21 governorship poll.
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The cleric accused President Tinubu for joining the like of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and others, who had refused to sign the peace agreement.
Recall that the Edo PDP had earlier stated some reasons behind its refusal for signing the agreement, which included alleged irregularities by the Nigerian Police Force, intimidating its members.
The party also accused Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, for allegedly using his office to disturb the political atmosphere of the state.
Reacting to the development on Sunday in Benin City, during the Edo Election Security Townhall, organised by Channels Television, Kukah, one of the conveners of the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said that the group can’t force any candidate to sign the peace pact.
READ MORE: Election Not War – IPAC Calls For Peaceful Conduct Ahead Of Edo Guber
He said: “The National Peace Committee, what we do is not in the Electoral Act, it’s not law; it’s moral. You can’t compel people to fall in love or love their neighbour.
“If you go back to the 2015 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the presidential candidate for the PDP, was not there to sign the Peace Accord. And of course, the opposition went to town, which is what it ought to be, and the next day, he (Atiku) turned up to sign.
“What is also very interesting is that the current president, when he was a presidential candidate, did not sign; it wasn’t our fault that the political opposition didn’t take advantage of it.
“It’s a pity but we are not going to take anybody to court for not signing the Peace Accord. The only thing it does to you as a candidate is that it sends a wrong signal which can be very easily exploited by the opposition.”
