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EDO ELECTION WILL BE WORST IN NIGERIAN HISTORY – PDP GUBER CANDIDATE
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has expressed grave concerns that the election could be marked as one of the worst in Nigeria’s history due to numerous alleged irregularities.
Speaking at a live press conference on Sunday, organized by the Edo PDP National Campaign Council and attended by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and outgoing Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki, Ighodalo highlighted serious allegations of electoral manipulation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ighodalo provided detailed accounts of electoral infractions he claimed occurred across multiple polling units, fundamentally questioning the legitimacy of the results being announced.
He emphasized alarming discrepancies, particularly in the Ikpoba/Okha Ologbo area.
“The way this election is going, it is set to be the worst election in the history of this country. In Ikpoba/Okha Ologbo, the figure for accredited voters was NIL, but the results claimed the APC had 227 votes, while the PDP had 103. How is that even possible?” Ighodalo asserted.
He went on to elaborate on another polling unit within Ikpoba/Okha Ologbo, where the number of accredited voters was recorded as 156.
Yet, the results declared the APC as having won 2,110 votes, while the PDP received just 57 votes, with no votes recorded for the Labour Party.
Such discrepancies, according to Ighodalo, raise serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
Governor Fintiri, who was also present, echoed Ighodalo’s concerns and further criticized the lack of access for PDP agents to collation centers.
He called this a significant impediment to ensuring a transparent election process.
“What we’re asking from INEC is to follow their rules; the REC has no business to announce results or move collation to INEC headquarters. This is our stand and we will go back to consult,” Fintiri stated, underscoring the need for adherence to established electoral procedures.
The allegations of misconduct and the apparent lack of transparency in the election have sparked widespread unease among the PDP and its supporters.
As reports of irregularities continue to emerge, the party’s leadership is under pressure to respond decisively. With the election still unfolding, Ighodalo and his campaign team are poised to take further action to ensure that their concerns are addressed.
Critics of INEC are now calling for an independent review of the election process, arguing that such measures are essential to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Observers worry that if these issues remain unaddressed, they could set a troubling precedent for future elections in the country.
