APC Challenges PDP as Ighodalo Submits Petition to Edo Tribunal
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has officially filed a petition challenging the outcome of the September 21, 2024 governorship election. The party’s State Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, confirmed this during a press conference in Benin, stating that they managed to submit the petition before the deadline despite difficulties.
In the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner with 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP’s candidate, Ighodalo Asue Ighodalo, who received 247,274 votes.
After the results were announced, the PDP accused both the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of attempting to block their efforts to contest the results. The party claimed there were serious irregularities and inconsistencies in the election that justified their petition.
The APC dismissed the PDP’s claims, arguing that the opposition party had no legitimate mandate to begin with. Tensions increased between the two parties last week when their members clashed at the party secretariat in Benin, with both sides accusing each other of trying to tamper with election materials.
Aziegbemi reassured PDP supporters that the party is determined to reclaim what he called their “stolen mandate” and urged the people of Edo State to stay hopeful. He said, “We have submitted our petition to the election tribunal, and by the grace of God, we will retrieve your mandate.”
He also denied accusations that the PDP had disrupted the inspection of election materials at INEC’s office, insisting that they had followed legal procedures for the inspection.
Aziegbemi further revealed that some PDP members had been arrested following the election but had since been released on bail after being falsely accused of killing a police inspector. He criticized the police for their bias, suggesting they were acting under the influence of the APC.
On the other hand, the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, responded by stating that the PDP never had a legitimate mandate to claim was stolen. He pointed out that it was INEC that announced the APC as the winner of the election, and questioned where the PDP got the mandate they claimed was taken from them. Uwadiae-Igbinigie urged the PDP to remain silent while the case is in court and let the tribunal decide who truly won.
