Now happening!!! PDP rejects election results in Edo state
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday
morning has refused to accept results of the gubernatorial election
announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In
a press conference held at its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie
Ize-Iyamu’s Ugbo Raod residence in Benin City, PDP said the results
being announced by INEC, which indicates the All Progressives Congress
(APC) candidate, Godwin Obaseki was in a comfortable lead, were
predetermined fabrication.
At the briefing were the state chairman, Dan
Orbih, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, Ize-Iyamu and Henry
Duke Tenebe. Orbih
said the official results from INEC were at variance with the result
collected by their agents at the polling units, insisting that the PDP
was the winner of the election. He claimed that from the results
available to them, the PDP won the election with at least 30,000
margins.
“It was too early to pass comment yesterday
(Wednesday) without reports from agents. We have since received reports
from party agents across 192 wards and all polling units in Edo State.
The results being announced by INEC are not true reflection of the
election.
“INEC started the process of announcing results
in the election at their headquarters in Benin. They suspended the
announcement at some point and promised to continue this morning.
“We took time to look at results from our
agents and independent observers. From the results, PDP clearly won the
APC in all the local government areas of the state with a minimum of
30,000 votes. But, we have compared them with INEC’s figures and
observed there is a wide difference between the figures from party
agents and independent observers with INEC’s
“The result by INEC has confirmed our statement
less 48 hours to the election that the Edo State Governor was telling
his party members and leaders that they have written the results of the
election. Everything the PDP said is playing out.
“INEC disregarded results from various polling
units. Decided to announce the one they wrote before election was held.
While we continue to study this results still coming in from riverine
areas, we are going to reject the result currently announced by INEC
officials.
“Even areas we won, they have removed most of
the votes with claims that card readers did not function in those areas.
I wonder what the incident forms are meant for. They were supposed to
address such problems.
But in this instance, it is convenient for INEC
to cancel all the results in areas we won.
“INEC should take full responsibility for
malfunctioning card readers. What they are doing at the INEC is in line
with what we said before election. All INEC officials are working in
collaboration with Edo State Government who has taken pains to go into
INEC office for no cause.”
Similarly, Ize-Iyamu condemned the results
being released by INEC, accusing the commission and security agencies of
connivance with APC, describing the outcome as a rape of democracy. The
PDP candidate raised serious allegations against the ruling party,
claiming that Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s government spent not less than
N3billion to buy votes at polling units.
He said: “Contrary to claim that PDP brought in
8,000 militants, the election showed that PDP are law abiding and did
not involve in illegality. The delays in announcing official result by
INEC was in order to announce predetermined fabricated results.
“The Figures being announced by INEC do not
represent the massive turnout. We have told our agents to bring all the
results issued at the polling units. We do not want to rely on the
messages they sent. In the next three or four days, will have complete
record. From findings, it is clear a lot of manipulation has taken
place.
“At George Idah Primary School, thugs came in,
shot into the air and carted away election materials. Till now he has
not been apprehended nor declared wanted. At Ward 10 Ikpoba Okah, APC
thugs carted away materials. At Ohrionwon LGA, a PDP agent was arrested
on the instruction of INEC because she complained about illegality.
There were over 300 non-Nigerians, whose names
were put in the register at Ohrionwon to vote. We wonder why
non-Nigerians would be allowed to vote in Edo election. At Etsako East,
security agencies were shooting and driving people to perfect rigging
plan.
“The results being announced by INEC were
obtained by fraud and use of arms, ammunitions. There was no election at
Etsako Central. Materials were seized. We talked about it, condemned it
but yet, the results were accepted.
“The arrest of the journalists I invited from
Abuja to cover the election was clearly an orchestrated plan to ensure
PDP does not only lose the election but wouldn’t have the evidence of
malpractices.
“INEC used the same result sheet whose serial
numbers were disclosed on September 8 before the postponement of the
election. These same result sheets were deployed to bring in fake
results. Ballot papers and sensitive materials have been thump printed
and shifted into the government house since two days.
“INEC has failed, connived and in conjunction
with security agencies, betrayed the confidence of Nigerians.
What
transpired in Edo is rape of democracy. Everyone is aware that Edo
government spent not less than N3b to purchase votes at polling units.
PDP does not have that kind of resources at its disposal.
“A night before the election, APC members were
caught with 3,000 PVCs and N15m but nothing happened to them. Within
INEC, we have got calls from people who said we should protest the
manipulation. Dissatisfied with outcome.”
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