The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally rejected the results of the Edo State Governorship election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the PDP's acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, urged Nigerians to back the party's opposition to the election outcome.
INEC had declared on Saturday that Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious, securing 291,667 votes, ahead of the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes, and the Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata, who finished third with 22,763 votes.
Out of the 18 local government areas in Edo State, the APC won 10, while the PDP claimed victory in 8.
Damagum argued that Ighodalo was the rightful winner of the election, contending that the process failed to meet democratic standards.
He said, "The PDP firmly rejects the Edo State Governorship election results announced by INEC, as they do not meet the minimum democratic standards and fail to reflect the will and aspirations of the people, as outlined in the Electoral Act of 2022 and INEC Guidelines for State Governorship Elections."
"The PDP calls on INEC to review the Edo State governorship election within the timeframe set by Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022, and to announce results based solely on the authentic votes cast at the Polling Units."
Damagum also stated that the PDP would contest the results declared by INEC in court and encouraged the people of Edo to remain resilient and determined.
He said, "Recent political developments in the country, particularly the blatant rigging of the Edo State Governorship election on Saturday, September 21, 2024, by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in collaboration with government-controlled agencies, clearly show that our democracy is in danger.
"As widely reported by the media, the 2024 Edo Governorship election was shamelessly manipulated by the APC, with the involvement of corrupt security operatives and compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who blatantly disregarded the people's votes, violated the law, and disrespected the sovereign will of Edo State citizens.
"You may remember that the PDP had repeatedly warned about this plot by the APC to undermine the election, pointing to the alleged involvement of AIG Zone 7 Benneth Igwe, Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Nemo Edwin-Iwo, and the appointment of a known APC supporter, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, as the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
"Despite several requests from our Party for the removal of these officials and the release of detained PDP members and supporters, these appeals were ignored, reinforcing our suspicions of a high-level conspiracy to rig the Edo Governorship election."
The PDP acting national chairman stressed that the people of Edo State had chosen Ighodalo as their governor, insisting that only the will of the people, as expressed at the polling units, should be honored.
He continued, "Nigerians and the world witnessed with shock as APC-backed security forces and thugs unleashed terror, harassing, arresting, and detaining PDP members and supporters. They created an atmosphere of fear, allowing APC agents and bribed INEC officials to manipulate the voting process, replacing legitimate results from the Polling Units with fabricated numbers, and transferring the clear victory of our candidate, Asue Ighodalo, to the defeated APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
"As Nigerians are aware, despite the violence, intimidation, and manipulation by the APC, the results from the Polling Units show that our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, clearly won the election before the figures were altered during the State collation process in favor of the defeated APC candidate.
"The PDP urges all Nigerians and democracy supporters worldwide to stand with the people of Edo State in rejecting this attack on their democratic rights as witnessed in the Edo Governorship election."
When asked about confidence in the judiciary, Damagum responded, "With this election, we will once again assess the judiciary's readiness to deliver justice where necessary. While we cannot rule out the possibility of justice being served, the key point is that we will hold the judiciary accountable before the Nigerian people. They say that when the judicial system fails, a country fails. I’m not sure if we will still have a country."
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