- PDP rejects outcome of elections, heads to court
- What transpired on Saturday not election but transaction – Akpata
- Ighodalo thanks supporters
The Federal Executive Council on Monday congratulated the All Progressives Congress for its victory in the Edo State Governorship election on Saturday.
The meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, was presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
Before the deliberation of the day, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume commended President Tinubu for his commitment to the electoral process and strengthening of Nigeria’s democracy.
“We want to use this opportunity, Mr. Chairman, to congratulate the people of Edo State, particularly the APC family, father of the APC, in their fantastic outing, recording a huge victory, which had eluded the APC for over eight years.
“The election has been judged to be free and fair and that is what Mr. President has always stood for. We want to thank you, Mr. President, for being committed to the electoral process and ethos of democracy.
“Once again, we thank our family members of the APC from Edo State for this wonderful showing,” the SGF submitted.
The Independent National Electoral Commission declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Monday Okpebholo winner after defeating his main challengers, Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party.
The APC candidate polled 291,667 votes, defeating Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Akpata of the LP finished a distant third with 22,763 votes.
APC governors congratulate Okpebholo
Also, the Progressive Governors’ Forum has congratulated the candidate of the APC, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on his victory in the Edo State governorship election.
In a statement on Monday, the Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Forum, Hope Uzodimma, described Okpebholo’s victory as a testament to the trust and confidence of the people of Edo State.
He also appreciated the people of the state for their overwhelming support, acknowledging their faith in the ruling party’s ability to drive progress in the state.
The statement reads, “On behalf of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Progressive Governors’ Forum, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Senator Monday Okpebholo on his resounding victory as the Governor-elect of Edo State.
“By giving their mandate to the APC, they have reaffirmed their belief in our vision and commitment to delivering sustainable development and progress.
“Under Okpebholo’s leadership, Edo State is poised to enter a transformative era of growth and prosperity under the newly elected governor.
“This victory is not just a win for our party but for the entire state and the nation as we continue to strive for a better and more progressive Nigeria.
“I wish the Governor-elect a successful tenure that will bring unprecedented progress to the people of Edo State.”
PDP rejects outcome of Edo poll, heads to court
Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to review the result of the Edo State governorship election.
The party said the review will allow INEC to declare the result that was obtained from the genuine votes cast at the polling units.
PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said the party will challenge the election in court.
According to him, the way and manner the judiciary treats the outcome of Edo election will determine whether Nigerians still have a country.
Damagum stated that the people of Edo chose Asue Ighodalo as the next governor, adding that only their will as expressed at the polling units should be allowed to stand, and not anything else.
He said, “Despite the violence, intimidation and manipulations by the APC, results obtained from the polling units show that our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo clearly won the election before the figures were altered at the state collation exercise in favour of the defeated APC candidate.”
The PDP acting National Chairman added that the party will still put to test the level of the preparedness of the judiciary to do justice when it is called upon.
He also said, “We cannot overrule a situation whereby justice will be dispensed but the most important thing is that we shall put them to more scrutiny before the eyes of Nigerians because they say that when the judicial system does not work, then you don’t have a country. I don’t know if we will still have a country.”
He recalled that PDP had on several occasions alerted of the alleged plot by the APC to subvert the election.
Damagum said Nigeria’s democracy is under threat, and accused the APC of compromising INEC officials, in connivance with security operatives, “who viciously trampled on the votes of the people in defiance of the law and total disregard to the sovereign will of the people of Edo State.”
What transpired on Saturday not election but transaction – Akpata
Also, in his first reaction to the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, Candidate of the Labour Party, Olumide Akpata, said that what transpired on 21 September was not an election but a transaction.
In a release titled, “Unbowed, Unbent, And Unbroken: Statement On The 2024 Edo State Gubernatorial Election Results”, Akpata said with the announcement of the results and the declaration of a governor-elect by INEC, he found himself compelled to “issue this statement with a mixture of profound concern and unwavering hope for our future.”
He said, “While preparing for this election, we harboured grave concerns about the integrity of the process. We anticipated that powerful forces would attempt to skew the outcome in their favour, regardless of the will of the people.
“Regrettably, these fears have materialised. Yet, we must also confront an uncomfortable truth: the outcome was enabled not just by those who sought to manipulate the process, but also by the actions—and inactions—of a significant portion of our electorate.”
Akpata noted that although the election was largely free from historical forms of election-day malpractice such as ballot box snatching and stuffing, it was nevertheless marred by voter intimidation and the falsification of results.
He also noted that the election witnessed one of the lowest voter turnouts in recent years, which he said was a testament to the apathy that has gripped our populace.
He commended those who defied the odds, came out to vote and stayed to ensure their votes were counted, describing them as true heroes of the election.
Akpata said a troubling theme emerged as the day unfolded, as both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples’ Democratic Party engaged in widespread vote-buying schemes.
“As attested to by YIAGA Africa, a leading civil society organisation and domestic observer group, our sacred electoral process was reduced to a commodities market—a bidding war for votes. This practice, no less damaging than outright ballot stuffing, has effectively disenfranchised the people of Edo State damaging than outright ballot stuffing, has effectively disenfranchised the people of Edo State.
“Let us be clear: what transpired on 21 September 2024 was not an election but a transaction. It was enabled by those who chose to stay away, making it easier for the two dominant parties to afford a significant majority of the few votes on offer, and by those who came out and willingly sold their votes,” he said.
The Labour Party candidate said rather than condemnation, he would extend understanding to those who sold their votes because of the economic hardship they face daily. He even acknowledged that some Labour Party faithful and agents were among those who willingly sold their votes.
“We acknowledge the crushing economic hardships that many of you face daily—hardships that make the immediate relief of vote-selling seem like a lifeline. Yet, this short-term gain comes at an immense long-term cost. We implored you to reflect deeply on the consequences of your actions, to recognise that your vote is the legacy you bequeath to future generations. In the end, it became painfully clear that we did not have the people, as many—including some Labour Party faithful and agents—willingly sold their future for peanuts to the very political parties whose actions and policies have impoverished them.
“Now, we have unwittingly instituted a collegiate system of government comprising godfathers, surrogate governors, and other forces within and outside the state who hope to puppeteer the governor-elect. The implications of this for Edo State’s development are dire. We face the prospect of continued underdevelopment, misallocation of resources, and governance that serves the interests of a few rather than the needs of the many. We must now live with these consequences for years to come,” he said.
Akpata also explained why he lost his polling unit to the candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo.
He said, “Our campaign steadfastly refused to engage in this cash-and-carry approach. We did not budget to compete with the two political parties whose governors perhaps may have dipped their hands into their states’ treasuries to provide the war chest for this show of shame. Even if we had the resources, we lacked the inclination to participate in such a perversion of democracy. Nothing illustrates this principle more clearly than the loss of my own polling unit. If I were so inclined, I could have easily mustered enough cash to secure enough votes to win my polling unit. But that is not the path we chose.”
The LP candidate further said, “We reserve our strongest condemnation for those who engaged in vote-buying: the APC and PDP. Their actions have directly contributed to the destruction of our state’s economy over the past 25 years, creating the enabling environment for this democratic sacrilege to thrive. This election has laid bare the stark reality that our political landscape is dominated not by ideologies or the people’s will, but by those with the deepest pockets and the most extensive networks of influence.”
In a response to PDP’s allegations of results falsification by the APC, Akpata said, “I hold no sympathy for the PDP, who now cry foul after being outmaneuvered in this macabre game of thrones. They willingly participated in the bidding war with the APC, fully aware of the rules from the outset. Their lamentations ring hollow in the face of their own complicity in this democratic travesty.”
He urged his supporters not to lose heart, adding, “the path to true democracy is often long and fraught with challenges, but it is a journey we must undertake together.”
Akpata said, “Let this moment serve not as a defeat, but as a rallying cry for all who believe in the promise of democracy. The road ahead may be challenging, but with unity, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to our principles, we can and will build the Edo State, and Nigeria, of our dreams.”
Ighodalo thanks supporters
In the same vein, the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, has thanked his supporters, assuring them that all their sacrifices will not be forgotten.
Even when he said the election result was theft of mandate, Ighodalo hailed his supporters, saying, “You are the true heroes of our democracy, and your sacrifices for a better Edo State will never be forgotten.”
He added that their “overwhelming support was evident in the ballots before our progress was unjustly halted on September 21st, 2024 by people who do not mean well for you or for our state.”
