By Eunice Okeke
On Wednesday, leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State held a march to the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Benin to protest the results of the September 21 governorship election in the state.
INEC announced Senator Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, as the winner of the election.
The electoral body said Okpebholo polled 291,667 to defeat the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who polled 247,274 votes.
However, the PDP has refused to accept the election results, claiming they were rigged.
On Wednesday, PDP leaders and members marched through the streets of Benin, holding banners with messages like “INEC, remove Edo REC” and “INEC, return our mandate,” among others.
Some protesters were heard chanting, “Oshiomhole, Tinubu, return our mandate.”
However, security agencies were on guard to ensure the protesters did not get too close to INEC office at Aduwawa, Benin.
But in an interview with our correspondent, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, the Publicity Secretary of the Edo APC, ridiculed the PDP, stating that no amount of protest would alter the election results.
“The PDP can protest all they want, but it won’t change the election outcome. If they believe their mandate has been taken, they should present evidence to the tribunal,” he said.
“The people of Edo, who opposed the continuation of a PDP-led government, used their voter cards to deliver a clear message, granting the APC the mandate to govern the state starting from November 12.”
“It’s not about asking President Bola Tinubu and Senator Adams Oshiomhole to return their mandate. Those gentlemen have no involvement in their mandate. They can go to the tribunal to express their concerns,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie stated.
Monday’s protest by the PDP was spearheaded by Tony Aziegbemi, the Chairman of the party’s Edo State chapter; Mathew Iduoriyekewen, the Director General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council; and Olu Martins, the Deputy Director General of Media and Publicity.
Speaking to the protesters, Aziegbemi urged INEC to announce Ighodalo as the election winner, claiming that the commission had tampered with the results from several local government areas.
He stated, “We appreciate everyone for joining us today in our effort to reclaim the mandate that was taken from us.”
“If we had lost this election in a fair and honest manner, we would have congratulated them. However, since they stole our mandate, we cannot extend our congratulations.”
“Rest assured, we will reclaim the mandate that was taken from us. We urge the judiciary to carefully consider our case and deliver a fair judgment. This is Nigeria, and we will not allow our victory to be taken away; we are confident in our ability to recover our stolen mandate with substantial evidence.”
“We are confident that we will regain our mandate, as our initial analysis indicates that Ighodalo clearly won this election. We will take our case to the tribunal.”
“We trust that the tribunal consists of individuals of integrity who will review the evidence presented and determine that the PDP won the election. We approach the tribunal with an open mind.”
“The PDP is a very peaceful party that consistently advocates for peace, and throughout our protest, we have maintained a violence-free environment, which will continue.”
In a similar statement, Iduoriyekewen asserted that the PDP won the election and will persist with the protest until Ighodalo is granted his mandate.
In response, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, the state publicity secretary of the APC, stated that no amount of protest would alter the election results, advising the PDP to take their case to the tribunal if they possess compelling evidence.