The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its weight behind the claim by Chairman of its Edo Campaign Council, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, insisting its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, won the governorship election in the state.
The election which was held on Saturday is still being officially collated with 17 LGs so far announced as of the time of filing this report.
Earlier, Fintiri had announced results from 10 LGs in a press conference before the collation of results began.
Those results showed the PDP candidate was leading. The PDP warned the All Progressives Congress not to tamper with the “will of the people” during the press conference.
However, things have changed as the results Fintiri announced differ from the results the Independent National Electoral Commission has announced.
Fintiri came under condemnation from the APC for announcing results.
INEC also warned against unofficial and fake announcements of results.
Following the warning and condemnation, the PDP in a statement on Sunday with one LG yet to be announced said, it stands by the results of the Edo State Governorship election as garnered by its polling agents across the State and echoed by Fintiri “which indicate that the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo clearly won the election.”
The party in a statement signed by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, asserted that “the rush, venom and hauling of insults with which the APC attacked Governor Fintiri only confirms APC’s violent desperation to cover its manipulations and steal the mandate freely given to Dr. Asue Ighodalo by the people of Edo State as reflected in the genuine votes cast at the Polling Units.
“As Governor Fintiri presented, the results collated from the Polling Units have Asue Ighodalo in clear lead before the State collation exercise was hijacked by the APC which, in connivance of some unscrupulous INEC and security officials, engaged in blatant alteration and substitution of the genuine results with fabricated figures in favour of the defeated APC candidate.
“The PDP had on several occasions alerted Nigerians of this sinister plot by the APC which will be firmly resisted as the APC and its candidate Monday Okpebholo were thoroughly defeated in the election.
“The PDP in the strongest terms cautions the APC and INEC not to announce or declare any result that does not reflect the Will of the people as expressed at the Polling Units. Such will be a recipe for a huge crisis in the State as the people of Edo State will never allow their mandate in illegitimate hands.
“Our Party again cautions INEC not to lose sight of the violent protest that trailed the criminal attempt by the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari to alter the outcome of the 2023 Governorship election in that State which nearly led to the death of some INEC officials.
“Any attempt to change the results of the Edo State governorship election and allocate victory to a defeated candidate will provoke worse consequences.
“INEC must therefore do what is right in the interest of peace, stability and sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria,” the party said.
