THE Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party governors over allegations that it manipulated the Edo State governorship election held on September 21, 2024.
INEC had declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress as the winner with 291,667 votes, while the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, secured 247,274 votes.
Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata came third with 22,761 votes.
Rising from its two-day meeting in Jos, Plateau State on Saturday, the PDP Governors Forum maintained its stance, insisting that electoral irregularities denied its candidate victory in Edo and alleging vote-buying in Ondo.
The PDP governors alleged that INEC tampered with results to favour the APC during the Edo governorship election.
The party called on the judiciary and lawmakers to strengthen electoral laws to prevent what it termed “institutional sabotage of the will of the people.”
“The forum notes with concern the rape of democracy in Edo governorship elections. It is clear to everyone with conscience that INEC manipulated results in favour of the APC candidate when in fact majority of lawful votes were won by the PDP candidate, Mr. Asue Ighodalo.
“Meanwhile, we are still examining the documents in Ondo elections where the APC manipulated results after openly buying votes. The forum calls on the judiciary to save Nigerian democracy and the National Assembly to look into our electoral laws to make it difficult for institutional sabotage of the will of the people,” the PDP Governors’ Forum said in its communique.
But reacting to the accusations, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, described the claims as “unfortunate and inappropriate.”
“As a law-abiding organisation, we cannot comment on a matter that is before the court. It is sub judice,” Oyekanmi stated.
He criticised the PDP governors for pursuing what he called a “media trial,” urging the party to present its evidence in court rather than raising unsubstantiated claims in public.
“Interestingly, it is the PDP that filed the petition at the tribunal to challenge the result of the Edo State governorship election that is now canvassing the same issues in the media. One would expect the party and its candidate to tender their evidence in court to prove the allegations detailed in their petition, rather than embark on media trial,” he said.
Addressing claims regarding the Ondo State election, Oyekanmi defended INEC’s performance, describing it as one of the best elections conducted by the commission.
“We do not claim it was a perfect election, but it was a good outing,” he remarked.
He urged political parties to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship, saying, “It is not healthy to accept the outcome of an election only when you win.”