The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asserted that it supports the results of the Edo State Gubernatorial election as amassed by its polling agents in the State. This was disclosed by the Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri.
The party claimed that according to the results generated and garnered by its agents, PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo won the election.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, had this to say on Sunday: “The PDP asserts that the rush, venom and hauling of insults with which the All Progressives Congress (APC) attacked Governor Fintiri only confirms APC’s violent desperation to cover its manipulations and steal the mandate freely given to Dr. Asue Ighodalo by the people of Edo State as reflected in the genuine votes cast at the Polling Units.
“As Governor Fintiri presented, the results collated from the Polling Units have Asue Ighodalo in clear lead before the State collation exercise was hijacked by the APC which, in connivance of some unscrupulous INEC and security officials, engaged in blatant alteration and substitution of the genuine results with fabricated figures in favour of the defeated APC candidate.
“The PDP had on several occasions alerted Nigerians of this sinister plot by the APC which will be firmly resisted as the APC and its candidate Monday Okpebholo were thoroughly defeated in the election.
“The PDP in the strongest terms cautions the APC and INEC not to announce or declare any result that does not reflect the Will of the people as expressed at the Polling Units. Such will be a recipe for a huge crisis in the State as the people of Edo State will never allow their mandate in illegitimate hands.
“Our Party again cautions INEC not to lose sight of the violent protest that trailed the criminal attempt by the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari to alter the outcome of the 2023 Governorship election in that State which nearly led to the death of some INEC officials.
“Any attempt to change the results of the Edo State governorship election and allocate victory to a defeated candidate will provoke worse consequences.
“INEC must therefore do that which is right in the interest of peace, stability and sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria.”
The Peoples Democratic Party protested against the result of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Edo State, which declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo as the new Governor of the state.
Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council Chairman Ahmadu Fintiri, who is also the Governor of Adamawa State Governor, on Sunday, said that the Independent National Electoral Commission should be liable for breaching the Electoral Act.
Okpebholo led the race with 291,667 votes, with PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who came second with 247,274 votes, and the third candidate, Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata had 22, 763 votes.
The APC won 10 out of the 18 Local Government Areas in Edo State, while the PDP secured eight. However, the PDP, in unanimity with its Governors Forum, reiterated that Ighodalo “clearly won the election.”