Edo: APC Acting As If It Owns INEC – Ighodalo Gives First Reaction (Video)

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the recently concluded Edo State Governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has given his reaction to the declared results expressing his dissatisfaction with the conduct of the polls, citing concerns over the transparency of the process.

The reaction of Ighodalo came after he was accredited with 247,274 votes, finishing second behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who emerged victorious with 291,667 votes.

In a reaction given to the BBC, Ighodalo expressed frustration, stating that the election was marred by irregularities. He noted that while he would have accepted the outcome had the process been free and fair, the events that transpired raised serious concerns about electoral integrity.

“I’m deeply disappointed. Initially, I believed we were going to have a transparent and effective election. But as the day unfolded, it became clear that things were not being handled fairly,” he said. “This election, in my view, is one of the most questionable in Nigeria’s history, especially here in Edo State. We witnessed blatant attempts to manipulate the results.”

Ighodalo alleged that certain results were inflated beyond the number of accredited voters, raising suspicions of rigging. “It’s inconceivable that we are seeing results where the total number of votes exceeds the accredited voters. If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not rectify this injustice, we cannot accept such a result,” he added.

The PDP candidate also recounted how Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had to intervene at the INEC office when collation was abruptly halted. According to Ighodalo, Obaseki’s intervention led to the resumption of the collation process the following morning.

Ighodalo in his reaction did not hold back in his criticism of the ruling APC, accusing the party of leveraging its influence over INEC and the security apparatus. “The APC is acting as if they own INEC and the police. It’s alarming how complacent we’ve become in accepting such behavior,” he lamented.

He further described the mood in Edo as one of frustration and disappointment, stating that the people’s will was being subverted. However, Ighodalo expressed confidence in the resilience of Edo citizens, believing they would continue to stand firm in the face of injustice.

“I trust the people of Edo to stand up for themselves as this situation unfolds. They are strong, politically aware, and won’t let their voices be silenced,” he concluded, urging INEC to correct its course and ensure a fair process.

Watch the video below of the reaction of Ighodalo;

As the PDP considers its next steps, including possible legal action, the focus remains on INEC to address the grievances raised and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
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