· PDP protests, rejects result
· LP in distant third
· Police warn against protest
By Godfrey AKON
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, has trounced his main challenger, Asue Ighodalo, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, winning 13 out of 18 local governments of the state.
Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday, showed that Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo of the PDP, finished 2nd with 247,655 votes and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, LP, in a distant third with 22,763 votes.
The PDP has insisted that it’s candidate, Ighodalo, won the election.
The party, through the Chairman of Edo PDP Governorship Election National Campaign Council, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, of Adamawa State, said its candidate, Ighodalo, clearly won the Edo governorship election, stating that INEC should be held accountable for violating the Electoral Act.
Fintiri’s position was corroborated by the PDP Governors Forum and the party’s national Secretariat, in a statement by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said Fintiri presented results from the polling units showing Ighodalo in a clear lead.
According to Ologunagba the result was before the state collation exercise which he alleged was being taken over by the APC in collaboration with some dishonest INEC and security officials to alter and replace the authentic results with falsified figures in favour of the APC candidate.
“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 statement read in part.
Meanwhile, Governor Fintiri, has also alleged that agents of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were denied access to INEC office ahead of the commencement of collation on Saturday while agents of the APC were allowed “unfettered access to the INEC premises to participate in the collation process.”
On his part, the Chairman of PDP in Edo State, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, on Sunday, appealed to INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to review the results collated for the governorship election before the final announcement of the winner of the election as results collated at state level were not the same with polling unit results.
Police warn against protest
The DIG in-charge of the Edo elections, DIG Frank Mba, activated the post-election security strategy of the Force.
The police said they were embarking on show of force exercise, designed to boost the confidence of citizens and to reassure of the readiness of the Force to respond appropriately to any possible threat to public safety and security in the State.
In line with the post-election security strategy, the DIG has ordered enhanced deployment in and around INEC facilities, key stakeholders involved in the election and other critical infrastructure within the State.
In a statement on Sunday, force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, called on citizens to remain peaceful and law abiding while going about their endeavours.
The Force, however, warned against any conduct by any individual or group capable of disrupting the existing peace in the state, noting that the Force and the security forces are prepared than ever before to ensure continuous peace in the State.
