He stated this Sunday In Benin City, during the Edo Election Security Townhall, a programme organised by Channels Television in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative and the UK International Development.

Though 17 political parties are fielding candidates in the September 21, 2024, Governorship Election in Edo State like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP), among others, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shunned the pre-election ritual last week over some allegations levelled against the police.

Kukah, one of the conveners of the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the group can’t force any candidate to sign the peace pact which has become an electoral ritual in the last decade.

“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,” Kukah said.

“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,” he added.

In September 2022, former Lagos governor and 2023 APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, did not sign the Peace Accord penned by his contenders. His then-running and ex-Borno governor Kashim Shettima was said to have represented him. (Channels TV)

This is even as he warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against midnight announcement of the election results.

Damagum said this during the grand finale of the PDP campaign in Edo. He also presented the party’s flag to the governorship candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo.

“To INEC, I we don’t want that midnight results announcement. We will be vigilant and make sure that it doesn’t happen.

 “And, we know they will rig the election, this is not a threat, but we are very serious and we will defend our votes with our blood and everything.

“To the citizens of this country, please watch the election of Edo, it will be a test for our democracy. If they miss it here, it means they are looking for anarchy. We know they will attempt to do so, but we will resist them,” Damagum stated.

He, however, called on the party and its supporters to go out en masse to vote for the PDP and also defend their votes.

On his part, the Chairman, PDP National Campaign Council, and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, warned against compromising the electoral process.

“We cannot be intimidated. We will tell them we know how to win election. Nobody will rig us out. Edo is the cradle of civilization and intellectual in Nigeria, you must not settle for anything less. So, vote for Ighodalo,” he said.

On his part, Ighodalo said Obaseki has laid the foundation for the development of the state and would continue from where he stopped.

Also, the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, noted that in the coming election, Edo will still not be Lagos just like in 2016.

“So come out to vote, protect and defend your votes, escort your votes and make sure they are announced and if you do that, nobody can change your votes and PDP will win come September 21,” he asserted.

Dignitaries at the event include PDP governors, Senator Aba Moro, Chief Tom Ikimi, members of BOT, members of the State House of Assembly, House Representatives, among others. (Weekend Trust)