The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced readiness to hand over electoral materials to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today, October 9, for the Edo State gubernatorial polls held on September 21.
This development follows complaints from the PDP regarding delays in accessing these essential materials.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Augbum Onuoha, confirmed in an interview with Punch on Tuesday that the PDP would receive the electoral materials, aimed at alleviating concerns regarding possible manipulation of the election results.
The situation escalated on Monday when the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused INEC of intentionally withholding electoral materials to allegedly alter them, thereby concealing any evidence of election rigging.
In response to these allegations, the REC stated, “We have asked them to come tomorrow (Wednesday) to access the materials.”
Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, weighed in on the matter, accusing INEC of employing delay tactics in purported collusion with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to obstruct justice.
Nehikhare claimed these maneuvers were intended to frustrate the PDP’s efforts to contest the election results in court.
The election results declared by INEC showed that APC candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo emerged victorious with 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.
In the wake of these results, both the PDP and Ighodalo have alleged electoral manipulation and have vowed to challenge the outcome in court.
To facilitate this legal challenge, the PDP secured a court order granting them access to inspect the electoral materials.
However, frustration grew as INEC allegedly denied them access to these materials, prompting Nehikhare to react.
Adding to the tension, the commissioner accused the APC of planning to set fire to the INEC office to destroy the BIVAS machines and other electoral materials, thereby eliminating evidence of alleged electoral fraud.
On Monday, the PDP legal team, led by Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN), visited the INEC headquarters in Benin City, seeking access to the BIVAS machine, voters register, ballot papers, and other election materials but were turned away despite presenting their court order.
In a show of solidarity, the women’s wing of the Edo PDP staged a protest on Tuesday, demanding the return of what they claim is Ighodalo’s stolen mandate.
Dressed in black attire and brandishing placards with various inscriptions, they vowed to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met.
Speaking to journalists in Benin, Stella Okoro, the group’s spokesperson and former Chairman of the Esan West Local Government Council, expressed their discontent with the election results, stating, “We are deeply pained by the outcome of the election.”
She added, “We are here today at the NUJ, to express our feelings, and our pains. We are troubled because of our stolen mandate. Our stolen mandate is what we are asking for.
“We are not lions and tigers, we voted. Edo people came out to vote for Asue Ighodalo and that is why we mothers are here today, we are in pains, we are mourning, we are on blacks, telling them to give us back our stolen mandate.
“They used INEC, police and soldiers to rob us. Before the election, they were embarrassing our sons and daughters.
“They arrested our people and they were taken to Abuja, some were in the State CID. We are not happy. We have never seen this kind of election before.
“Upon all the intimidation, upon all the money they spent, Edo people said no. It is Asue Ighodalo and Osarodion Ogie they want and they did and they won.
“Give us our mandate or else we will not rest until they give it to us. The Almighty God is hearing the women’s voice.”
But in response to the agitation by the PDP, the Director of Publicity, Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council, denied APC’s involvement in the matter.
He said, “The All Progressives Congress read the diatribe and attack on our party by the defeated Peoples Democratic Party in our dear state, with utter dismay at the falsehood, they have designed to mischievously misrepresent the true situation at the Benin Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the presence of the APC youths at the INEC office is to safeguard our hard-earned victory, especially as we have trusted information that the PDP Chairman in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, has planned to take advantage of his acquittance with a female INEC ICT department staff, from one of the neighbouring states, to falsify some already declared results.
“We call on Nigerians to disregard the baseless statement credited to Asue Media Organisation, through one Erhabor Emokpae, accusing the police and other law enforcement agencies of planning to manipulate the electoral process to favour our party.
“This statement is an open demonstration of poor understanding of what electoral process is. Ighodalo and PDP must be reminded that the 2024 Edo State governorship election has been conducted and won by distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo over two weeks ago.
“We will, nonetheless, excuse their confusion, which must be a result of concussion they suffered from the knockdown on September 21, 2024, and to simply inform them that the challenge they now face is a legal process, which has now become their albatross.
“The All Progressives Congress has no blame in the PDP judicial mishap.”
