Shocked by the outcome of the Edo State governorship election, in which its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was defeated, the acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Ilyas Damagum, has announced the party’s firm rejection of the results.
During a press conference in Abuja on Monday, September 23, Damagum called for a comprehensive review of all the results from polling units and collation centres across Edo state.
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.
“The PDP demands that INEC within the time stipulated by Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022 review the Edo State governorship election and announce results only as obtained from the genuine votes cast at the Polling Units,” Damagum remarked.
Although he gave proof of how he concluded, Damagum asserted that he and many others are very certain that the election was rigged against the PDP governorship candidate.
“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,” he said.
He also hinted that while the PDP may not have much hope in the judiciary, the party is likely to head to the courts and test its continued relevance as the last bastion of hope.
“In this election, we shall still put to test once again the level of the preparedness of the judiciary to do justice where it is required.
“We cannot overrule a situation whereby justice will be dispensed but the most important thing is that we shall put them to more scrutiny before the eyes of Nigerians because 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,” he stated.
Pointing out that he was speaking out of deep concern for Nigeria’s democracy and political stability, he repeatedly remarked that the Edo State governorship election was outrightly manipulated.
“From unfolding political events in the country, the latest being the brazen rigging of the Saturday, September 21, 2024, Edo state governorship election by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in connivance with government-controlled agencies, it is clear that our democracy is under threat.
“As you know and widely reported in all segments of the media, the 2024 Edo State Governorship election was barefacedly compromised by the APC in collusion with unpatriotic security operatives and heavily procured officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who viciously trampled on the votes of the people in defiance of the Law and total disregard to the Sovereign Will of the people of Edo State.
“You may recall that the PDP had on several occasions alerted of this sinister plot by the APC to subvert the election, the roles allegedly being played by AIG Zone 7, Benneth Igwe and Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Nemo Edwin-Iwo and the appointment of a known APC apologist and supporter, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, as the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
“Several demands by our Party for the redeployment of these officials as well as the release of all arrested PDP members and supporters fell on deaf ears and tend to validate PDP’s suspicion of a top-level conspiracy to rig the Edo 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 and 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 won by our candidate, Asue Ighodalo to the defeated APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
“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, Ambassador Damagum stated.