'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has firmly reiterated that its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, won the Edo State Governorship election, based on results from its polling agents and figures presented by the Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State. According to the PDP, the votes collated at polling units across the state show that Ighodalo was leading before the election process was allegedly hijacked by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in collaboration with some officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.
The PDP stated that the APC's response, which included personal attacks on Governor Fintiri, reflects their desperation to cover up the manipulations intended to deprive the PDP candidate of his rightful victory. The party claims that the APC altered genuine results and replaced them with fabricated figures to favor its candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
PDP's statement is in response to a release today Felix Morka, the APC described Fintiri's actions as a display of "utter desperation and mindless impunity." The party asserted that Fintiri has no legal authority to collate or announce election results, emphasizing that such powers are exclusively reserved for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the Electoral Act of 2022.
He added that: "This unprecedented illegality is calculated to cause unrest in Edo State, disrupt the peaceful conclusion of the election process, and undermine the lawful authority of INEC," the statement read. The APC further called on law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant to ensure peace and security during this critical period.
In a strongly worded statement, the PDP warned the APC and INEC against announcing any manipulated results that do not reflect the actual votes cast at polling units, describing such an action as a recipe for crisis. The party vowed to resist any attempt to subvert the will of the people, insisting that the residents of Edo State would not allow their democratic mandate to be stolen.
The PDP also drew attention to the controversial incident in Adamawa State during the 2023 Governorship election, where an attempt by a former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Hudu Ari, to alter the election results sparked widespread protests and nearly resulted in the deaths of INEC officials. The party warned that any similar attempt to manipulate the Edo election results could lead to even worse consequences.
In conclusion, the PDP called on INEC to act responsibly and ensure that the official results align with the will of the people as expressed in their votes. The party emphasized that any failure to do so could threaten the peace and stability of Edo State and undermine the democratic process in Nigeria.
The statement was signed by the PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba.
As the tension mounts, all eyes are now on INEC and the official declaration of results, which could determine the next steps for both parties and the people of Edo State.
