In the aftermath of the recently concluded Edo State governorship election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the outcome and announced his plans to contest the results in court.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ighodalo expressed his belief that the election, which declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as the winner, was manipulated in favor of the ruling party. He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding with the APC to subvert the true will of Edo State voters.
The official results from the election show that Ighodalo came in second with a total of 247,274 votes, while Okpebholo won with 291,667 votes. The Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata, secured 22,763 votes, placing third. Despite the outcome, Ighodalo maintains that the PDP should have been declared the rightful winner.
Ighodalo pointed to several irregularities he believes tainted the electoral process. One of his main concerns was the reported failure to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in over 160 polling units. BVAS, a technology introduced to enhance transparency, was allegedly not implemented properly in key areas.
Additionally, Ighodalo raised concerns about improper collation of results, claiming that the process was flawed at both ward and state levels. He also accused INEC, the police, and the APC of working together to suppress voter turnout and manipulate the results in favor of the ruling party.
One of Ighodalo’s most significant allegations was that vote-buying played a major role in the APC’s victory. He claimed that cash incentives ranging from N25,000 to N50,000 were offered to voters to sway their support for the ruling party. In contrast, he emphasized that the PDP refrained from such practices, believing in the integrity of the electoral process.
When asked about his next course of action, Ighodalo revealed that he intends to take the matter to the election tribunal, where he plans to present evidence of the alleged electoral misconduct. He firmly believes that the PDP has a strong case and will be able to reclaim the mandate he feels was unjustly taken.
Additionally, Ighodalo rejected an offer of friendship extended by the declared winner, Monday Okpebholo. While some candidates might seek reconciliation after a contested election, Ighodalo made it clear that he cannot accept such overtures while the legitimacy of the results remains in dispute.
“Because the mandate is stolen, there is no way you can accept these hands of fellowship or friendship,” he stated. Ighodalo vowed to continue fighting for what he sees as the true mandate of the people, saying, “I will stay with the people of Edo State who fully gave me the mandate of their free will, and I will go into the courts and the tribunal to reclaim our mandate and then form the government.”
