Peaceful 2019 Elections: I have evidence Atiku was invited to peace accord signing, Bishop Kukah dismisses PDP Candidate’s non-invitation claim

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Matthew Kukah.

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Secretary of the National Peace Committee (NPC) and Catholic Bishop ofSokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has refuted the excuse adduced byPresidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,for not attending Tuesday’s meeting to sign peace accord that 2019 presidentialelections would be violent-free.

Atiku, whose conspicuous absence at the peace accord signing continuesto be greeted with heavy attacks from Nigerians home and abroad, had given theexcuse that he was not at the meeting because he was not invited.

But Bishop Kukah, an interview with a television reporter in Abuja on Tuesday, said the former Vice President was invited forthe peace accord signing.

“I have here with me a copy of a letter which was sent to all political party chairmen announcing this event.

 “This is a letter that was sent which was acknowledged in the office of Prince Uche Secondus, the Chairman of the PDP.”

Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential candidates in the coming elections signed an agreement at an event organised by NPC.

Some of the items on the accord include running an issue-based campaign, refraining from speeches that would incite violence, as well as support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a free and fair process, among other issues.

However, Atiku and the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr Oby Ezekwesili, were among prominent candidates absent at the signing ceremony.

Bishop Kukah, who was specific about the absence of the PDP candidate, believes there might have been a communication problem and promises that the committee will take steps to address it.

He noted that on his way out of the venue of the event, he was also accosted by a gentleman who said his presidential candidate got to the event late due to a delay of his flight to the nation’s capital.

The NPC member, therefore, stated that presidential candidates were free to seek redress while the office of the committee remained open for those absent to append their signatures.

He said, “I think the most important thing is that we will try and do everything possible; these things happen.”

“I am happy that it was just a question of an administrative error on the part of their (PDP) secretariat.

“But the office of the peace committee will remain open for anybody else who either due to communication problems, didn’t actually get their letters of invitation,” he added.


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