PDP challenges APC's victory, alleging rigging in favor of Senator Okpebholo. Read about the election's aftermath and PDP's next steps.
The results of the September 21, 2024, Edo State Governorship Election have sparked controversy, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raising serious allegations of rigging against the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
The Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata came third with 22,763 votes. However, the PDP has firmly rejected the outcome, alleging widespread manipulation and vote alteration in favor of the APC.
PDP's Allegations of Electoral Manipulation
Following the announcement of the election results, the PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, released a statement alleging that the election was rigged in favor of the APC.
According to the PDP, the collation of results at several polling units showed that their candidate, Asue Ighodalo, was leading in many areas before the process was allegedly hijacked and manipulated by the APC in connivance with some INEC officials.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who led the PDP's Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council, also accused INEC of violating the Electoral Act by failing to ensure transparency in the collation process.
Fintiri presented what he described as authentic results from the polling units, which, according to him, indicated that Ighodalo was the clear winner before the manipulation began.
The PDP further claimed that results from several Local Government Areas, particularly in Akoko Edo, Egor, and Etsako West, were altered in favor of the APC.
In a detailed letter addressed to the INEC Chairman, the PDP cited discrepancies between the results uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) and the final tallies announced by the Returning Officers. In Akoko Edo, for instance, the PDP alleged that the APC’s votes were inflated by nearly 10,000, while PDP votes were unjustly reduced.
What Lies Ahead: PDP's Next Move
As the legal battle looms, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has called for calm among the citizens, urging them to refrain from violence. He acknowledged the frustrations felt by many Edo people but emphasized that peace and justice would prevail. He encouraged those aggrieved to seek resolution through the appropriate legal channels, in line with democratic principles.
In the aftermath of the election, both President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated Okpebholo on his victory, with Tinubu urging him to reach out to his political rivals and unite the people of Edo State. Tinubu also commended INEC and the security agencies for ensuring a largely peaceful election, while Buhari hailed the election as a historic victory for democracy in Nigeria.