Chidi Samuel|
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, has said that he stayed away from Tuesday’s signing of the peace accord organised by the National Peace Institute because that he did not receive any invitation to take part at the signing of a peace accord for 2019 presidential candidates.
“I can confirm” that Mr. Abubakar “did not receive any formal invitation to the signing of the peace pact,” Paul Ibe, a spokesperson for the former vice-president, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
However, shortly after the event, Abdulsalami Abubakar insisted everybody was invited while addressing Journalists.
He said, “You have seen the number of parties that have been invited.
He will answer for himself but speaking for the National Peace Committee, everybody was invited.”
“What reasons do we have not to invite somebody?
This accord was for all political parties to sign to be of goodwill and good behaviour during elections. If there is a break down of communications somewhere I don’t know.”
Other presidential aspirants absent at the signing ceremony include, Oby Ezekwesili of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Kingsley Moghalu of Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC).