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PDP Set To Inspect Edo Electoral Materials Today As INEC Responds To Allegations

Published

2 months ago

Oct 9, 2024.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it will provide electoral materials to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today (Wednesday) for the September 21 Edo State governorship election.

This update came from the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Augbum Onuoha, during an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, addressing complaints of delays raised by the PDP.

The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, had accused INEC of deliberately withholding the materials, alleging that this was part of a scheme to manipulate results and conceal rigging.

In response to the PDP’s concerns, Dr. Onuoha confirmed that the party would have access to the electoral materials today. “We have asked them to come tomorrow (Wednesday),” he stated.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Osa Nehikhare, alleged that INEC is employing delay tactics in collusion with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to obstruct justice and hinder the PDP’s efforts to contest the election results in court.

The APC candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner of the election with 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes.

Both the PDP and Ighodalo have claimed that the election was manipulated and intend to challenge the outcome legally. They obtained a court order to inspect the electoral materials but expressed frustration over INEC’s refusal to grant access.

Nehikhare remarked that there appears to be a calculated effort to impede the PDP’s appeal and ensure the petition is not filed before the Saturday deadline. He also accused the APC of planning to set fire to the INEC office to destroy evidence of alleged electoral fraud.

On Monday, the PDP legal team, led by Olusegun Jolaawo (SAN), attempted to access the BIVAS machines, voters’ register, ballot papers, and other electoral materials at the INEC headquarters in Benin City but were denied entry despite presenting the court order.

In a show of solidarity, the women’s wing of the Edo PDP protested on Tuesday, demanding the return of what they describe as the “stolen mandate” of Ighodalo. Clad in black attire, they vowed to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met.

INEC PDP Inspect Edo Materials

Stella Okoro, spokesperson for the group and former Chairman of the Esan West Local Government Council, expressed the group’s anguish over the election results, stating, “We are deeply pained by the outcome of the election. Our stolen mandate is what we are asking for. The Almighty God is hearing the women’s voice.”

In response, the Director of Publicity for the Edo APC Governorship Campaign Council dismissed the PDP’s allegations, calling them falsehoods and misrepresentations of the situation at the INEC office.

He claimed that the presence of APC youths at the INEC office was to protect their victory, citing concerns that the PDP Chairman in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, was planning to manipulate results with the help of a female INEC ICT department staff member.

“The All Progressives Congress has no blame in the PDP judicial mishap,” he stated, reminding the PDP that the election had already been conducted and won by Senator Monday Okpebholo over two weeks ago.