The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially rejected the Edo State governorship election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), demanding a fresh collation of votes. INEC declared All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the winner with 291,667 votes, while PDP’s Asue Ighodalo secured 247,274 votes, and Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata came third with 22,763 votes.
During a press conference in Abuja, PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, claimed the election was rigged in favor of APC, accusing security agencies and INEC officials of conspiring to alter the results. Damagum urged Edo citizens to remain steadfast, describing the election as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata also alleged widespread vote-buying and manipulation, stating that the election was more of a transaction than a democratic process. He vowed to pursue legal action after forensic analysis of the results.
Meanwhile, APC Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, dismissed the allegations, attributing PDP’s defeat to the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki’s divisive rhetoric. Despite the controversy, INEC’s declared results have faced growing scrutiny, with civil society groups raising concerns over potential manipulation during the collation process.
