The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, raised not a few eyebrows, on Tuesday, when he failed to show up at the signing of a peace accord by candidates contesting the presidential election in February 2019.
But in a statement issued Paul Ibe, his spokesperson, the former Vice President said he never received any invitation to take part in the event midwifed by the National Peace Committee and which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
“I can confirm” that Mr Abubakar “did not receive any formal invitation to the signing of the peace pact,” Ibe, said in the statement.
Oby-Ezekwesili
Abubakar was not alone in that situation. Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, as well as Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of African Action Congress, AAC, also said they never got any invitation to the event.
The National Peace Committee is headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and has other prominent Nigerians like General Yakubu Gowon, another ex-Head of State, and Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto as members, among others.