Bishop Matthew Hassan-Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has condemned the failure of political parties and candidates to sign the Peace Accord, emphasizing that their reluctance sends a troubling message to Nigerians.
He made these remarks during the Edo Election Security Townhall in Benin City, a program organized by Channels Television in collaboration with Kimpact Development Initiative and the UK International Development.
As Edo State’s September 21, 2024, Governorship Election approaches, 17 political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP), are fielding candidates. However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recently declined to participate in the Peace Accord ceremony due to allegations against the police.
Kukah, a key member of the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, noted that the committee’s role is based on moral rather than legal grounds. “We cannot compel candidates to sign the Peace Accord. Our work is moral and voluntary, not mandated by the Electoral Act,” he explained.
He pointed out that similar situations have occurred in the past. In the 2015 elections, PDP’s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar initially avoided signing the accord but later complied amid criticism. Kukah also noted that the current president Bola Tinubu, did not sign the accord during his candidacy, a fact that opposition parties used to their advantage.
Kukah lamented that while the Peace Accord is not legally binding, failing to sign it sends a negative signal that could be exploited politically. He reiterated that the committee will not pursue legal action against non-signers but emphasized the potential for such actions to undermine the electoral process.
