#eDODECODEs: PDP announces results of Edo election allegedly altered by APC in collusion with INEC
By OUR REPORTERS
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the results of the Edo governorship election garnered by its collation agents across the state but which were allegedly altered when All Progressives Congress(APC) elements assisted by secirity agents colluded with Independent Recommended Electoral Commission (INEC) officials during the night at the collation centre.
Edo residents went to the poll on Saturday September 21, 2024 to elect a would-be successor to incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki of the PDP whose two-term tenure will elapse on November 12, 2024.
However, over 24 hours after the voting exercise got underway, the people of the state are still holding their breath as they await official announcement of results from across the 18 local government areas of Edo.
The election has been very contentious with the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) being the major contenders. The former had accused the latter of colluding with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to rig the process.
The PDP candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, raised the alarm on Saturday night when he alleged that results from over 20 polling units had been tampered with.
There were also reports of incidences at some collation centres in the state where the PDP claimed its agents were denied access to witness the process.
Consequently, Obaseki stormed the INEC office in Benin in the early hours of Sunday to register the party’s displeasure over how the collation was playing out.
The Governor was later walked out of the premises by security agents following a protest by APC officials and supporters.
Addressing the press on Sunday morning, the party accused INEC of violating the Electoral Act by truncating the collation process to compromise the election.
This is according to Adamawa State Governor and Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, Ahmadu Fintiri, who spoke on behalf of the PDP at the party’s situation room in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
Fintiri claimed that the party agents collated results from 12 out of the 18 local government areas before the process was marred by irregularities.
He said, “At the point of the truncation of the collation exercise, these are the results that have been collected:
1 Esan Central LG – APC-8,618, PDP-10,990
2 Esan North-East LG – APC 10,648, PDP-12,522
3 Esan South-East LG – APC-8,398, PDP-14,199
4 Esan West LG – APC-12,952, PDP-11,004
5 Igueben LG – APC-5,407, PDP-8,470
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6 Etsako Central LG – APC-10,990, PDP-8,618
7 Orhionmwon LG – APC-16,059, PDP-16,614
8 Ovia North-East LG – APC-13,225, PDP-15,311
9 Ovia South-West LG – APC-10,150, PDP-10,260
10 Owan West LG – APC-12,277, PDP-11,284
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11 Owan East LG – APC-19,380, PDP-14,189
12 Uhunmwonde LG – APC-8,673, PDP-9,639
From the the figures he reeled out, Ighodalo polled 143,100 votes while the APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo recorded 136,777 votes.
“I did not announce results; I only informed the public of the exact figure from our collation agent that was ongoing before INEC disrupted the process, so INEC should be accused of violating the Electoral Act, not me.
“What we’re asking from INEC is to follow their rules, REC has no business to announce results or move collation to INEC headquarters. This is our stand and we will go back to consult,” the Adamawa Governor stated.
Fintiri called for the restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC rules and regulations for the Edo election.
“We, hereby, demand a restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC rules and regulations for this election. Any other illegal and unlawful action going forward will be a violation of the people and an abuse of the Electoral Act 2022,” he added.
