The Peoples Democratic Party, has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, alleging mass rigging in the poll.
In a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, expressed PDP’s dissatisfaction with the outcome, adding that the people of the State rightfully voted for Asue Ighodalo.
Damagum urged Independent National Electoral Commission to utilize the provisions available within the Electoral Act and rectify what he described a flawed process.
Recall that INEC had said that Monday Okpebholo, secured 291,667 votes, Ighodalo with 247,274 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party with 22,763 votes.
However, the PDP national chairman accused the APC of conniving with government-controlled agencies to rig out the PDP candidate.
He said: “The PDP therefore unequivocally rejects the final result of the Edo State Governorship election as declared by INEC as it did not meet the minimum standard for democracy, having not reflected the expressed will and aspiration of the people in line with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines for State Governorship Election.
“Nigerians and the world watched in horror as the APC-compromised security operatives and thugs unleashed terror, harassed, arrested and detained PDP members and supporters, foisted siege mentality on the people.
“Paved the way for APC agents and procured INEC officials to manipulate the ballot process, substitute genuine results from the Polling Units with fictitious figures and transferred the victory clearly won by our candidate, Asue Ighodalo to the defeated APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
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“As Nigerians already know, despite the violence, intimidation and manipulations by the APC, results obtained from the Polling Units show that our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo clearly won the election before the figures were altered at the State collation exercise in favour of the defeated APC candidate.
“The PDP calls on all Nigerians and lovers of Democracy all over the world to stand up in solidarity with the people of Edo State in rejecting this assault on the democratic rights of the people as witnessed in the Edo State Governorship election.
When asked about their confidence in the judiciary, Damagum said that PDP will test the integrity of the judiciary.
He said: “In this election, we shall once again test the level of preparedness of the judiciary to deliver justice where it is needed.
“Therefore, we cannot rule out a situation where justice will be dispensed, but the most important thing is that we shall subject them to greater scrutiny in the eyes of Nigerians.
“They say that when the judicial system does not work, then you don’t have a country. I don’t know if we will still have a country.”
