Chidi Samuel|
The chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Tuesday said that the absence of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the signing of a peace accord ahead of 2019 election will not whittle down the effectiveness of the accord.
The National Peace Committee, organisers of the accord said it invited all 73 presidential candidates contesting the 2019 elections, but Atiku said on Tuesday evening he was not invited.
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.”
When asked if this could weaken the accord, Abubakar said; “How will it? One candidate? I don’t think it will weaken the accord.”
According to him, the door is still open to those who were absent to come and sign the accord.
“Of course, they are open to come and sign the peace accord. What surprises me is that when we had the conference with the political parties he came out and agreed on this agenda, the parties agreed and it was the recommendation that the peace committee has taken.”
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).