PDP supporters protest alleged INEC compromise in Edo Governorship election

Hundreds of members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the outcome of the September 21st governorship election in Edo State.

The demonstrators accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of being compromised and failing to announce the true results, which the party claims showed their victory.

Protesters held up placards bearing various slogans criticizing INEC and President Bola Tinubu.

The demonstrators gathered on one lane of Aduwawa Road, directly opposite the INEC office, demanding the commission reveal what they referred to as the “actual” election results.

Despite the ongoing protests, the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal confirmed that it has not yet received any formal petition challenging the election results.

The Tribunal’s Secretary, Mu’azu Bagudu Esq., stated that political parties have twenty days from the date of the election result announcement to submit their petitions.

As tension simmers in Edo State, the PDP’s actions have drawn attention to their dissatisfaction with the electoral process, while the clock ticks for any legal challenges to be filed.

Addressing the crowd opposite the gate of the Commission’s office, the Director General of the Asue/Ogie Governorship Campaign Council, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen said “INEC does not exist again, APC has destroyed INEC and we will not allow this to stand. Many of us fought for democracy in this country, I was one of the first beneficiaries of democratic office in 1999, we stood against the annulment of June 12, we fought the military when Abacha wanted to succeed himself, some people cannot claim to be democrats and they want to turn this country into a dictatorial state.

We will not accept it, the Edo people voted and everybody who voted, knows who they voted for, we all voted for Asue Ighodalo, he is our governor. In a system where the REC of INEC here with one person writing results inside the office is not acceptable.”

He said even though they don’t have confidence in the judiciary, they would take their grievance to the election tribunal.

Also speaking, the state chairman of the PDP, Hon Tony Aziegbemi said the party had lost the election in a free and fair manner, and the party and the candidate would have congratulated the winner.

According to him, “The preliminary analysis we have done showed clearly that this election was won clean and clear by Asue Ighodalo, we will present that case to the tribunal, we believe the tribunal is made up of men of integrity, we believe they will look at those documents and come to the inevitable concussion that PDP won the election, we are going there with an open mind.”