Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2024 Edo State Governorship election, has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the conduct of the election, alleging widespread irregularities that undermined its credibility.
Ighodalo, who secured 247,274 votes, was defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, who won with 291,667 votes. Speaking in a post-election interview with BBC, Ighodalo aired his frustrations, claiming that the election was riddled with manipulations that tainted the process.
“I had hoped for a transparent and fair election, but as events unfolded, it became clear that there were significant issues,” Ighodalo stated. “This election may well go down as one of the most questionable in the history of Nigeria, particularly here in Edo State. There were obvious efforts to distort the results.”
The PDP candidate pointed to suspicious discrepancies, alleging that in some areas, the total number of votes surpassed the number of accredited voters. “It’s shocking that INEC would release results that don’t add up. How do you explain a situation where the votes exceed the number of people who were accredited to vote? This is a clear indication that something is wrong,” he added.
Ighodalo’s concerns were further compounded when collation was halted abruptly. According to him, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had to step in at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office to ensure the resumption of the collation process. “Governor Obaseki had to intervene, and it was only after his visit to the INEC office that the collation continued the next morning. This disruption was suspicious and raises serious questions about the integrity of the process,” Ighodalo remarked.
He did not mince words when addressing the conduct of the APC during the election, accusing the ruling party of wielding undue influence over INEC and the security forces. “It’s as if the APC controls INEC and the police. Their actions in the lead-up to and during the election show a complete disregard for democratic principles. It’s alarming how we’ve become tolerant of these blatant abuses,” Ighodalo said.
Despite the election’s outcome, Ighodalo voiced his confidence in the resilience of the people of Edo State, saying they would not allow their democratic rights to be trampled upon. “The people of Edo are politically aware and won’t be silenced. They will stand up for justice, and I believe they will make their voices heard as this situation develops,” he concluded.
Watch the video below;
https://x.com/LawrenceOkoroPG/status/1838114597028393270?t=avORDDDDgsPzy6XwsrPbMw&s=19
As Ighodalo and the PDP consider their next steps, including potential legal challenges, attention is now on INEC to address the grievances raised and ensure that the electoral process maintains its integrity. Meanwhile, the APC’s victory, while celebrated by its supporters, remains clouded by the controversy surrounding the election’s transparency.
