PUNCH
The Peoples Democratic Party and its Governors Forum have expressed support for the Chairman of the Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who stated that the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, clearly won the state governorship election.
On Sunday, Fintiri stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission should be held accountable for violating the Electoral Act.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Monday Okpebholo, is currently ahead in the results collation for the ongoing governorship election in the state.
He is followed by the PDP candidate, Ighodalo.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, responded by explaining that Fintiri presented results from the polling units showing Ighodalo in a clear lead.
Ologunagba claimed that this was before the state collation exercise being taken over by the APC, which allegedly conspired with some dishonest INEC and security officials to alter and replace the authentic results with falsified figures favouring the defeated APC candidate.
The statement read, “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stands by the results of the Edo State governorship election as garnered by its polling agents across the state and echoed by the Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State which indicate that the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, clearly won the election.
“The PDP asserts that the rush, venom and hauling of insults with which the All Progressives Congress (APC) attacked Governor Fintiri only confirms APC’s violent desperation to cover its manipulations and steal the mandate freely given to Dr. Asue Ighodalo by the people of Edo State as reflected in the genuine votes cast at the Polling Units.
“As Governor Fintiri presented, the results collated from the Polling Units have Asue Ighodalo in clear lead before the State collation exercise was hijacked by the APC which, in connivance of some unscrupulous INEC and security officials, engaged in blatant alteration and substitution of the genuine results with fabricated figures in favour of the defeated APC candidate.
“The PDP had on several occasions alerted Nigerians of this sinister plot by the APC which will be firmly resisted as the APC and its candidate Monday Okpebholo were thoroughly defeated in the election.”
The PDP spokesman warned that any attempt to alter the results of the governorship election and award victory to a defeated candidate will lead to serious repercussions.
The statement added, “The PDP in the strongest terms cautions the APC and INEC not to announce or declare any result that does not reflect the Will of the people as expressed at the Polling Units. Such will be a recipe for a huge crisis in the State as the people of Edo State will never allow their mandate in illegitimate hands.
“Our party again cautions INEC not to lose sight of the violent protest that trailed the criminal attempt by the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari to alter the outcome of the 2023 governorship election in that state which nearly led to the death of some INEC officials.
“Any attempt to change the results of the Edo State governorship election and allocate victory to a defeated candidate will provoke worse consequences.”