Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, has announced that the party has lodged a formal petition challenging the alleged electoral fraud during the September 21 governorship election, expressing confidence in their ability to recover what they believe is their rightful mandate.
Speaking to reporters in Benin City, Aziegbemi revealed that the PDP is aware of a scheme by the All Progressive Congress (APC) aimed at obstructing the court’s order permitting the PDP to inspect election materials at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Aduwawa. He emphasized that the PDP is prepared to counter these tactics effectively.
“We are embarking on the path to reclaim the people’s mandate, and our petition has been submitted to the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal. Despite the challenges, we have managed to file our petition, as the APC had hoped we would not succeed in this process. The mandate entrusted to the PDP will be restored,” he stated.
Aziegbemi asserted that the party has identified the core issues related to the election and is confident that the tribunal will recognize the overwhelming evidence supporting their case.
While the PDP is focused on gathering evidence for its tribunal appeal, Aziegbemi accused the APC and its chairman, Jarret Tenebe, of spreading misinformation to further their agenda. “While we were compiling evidence for our petition, the APC and Tenebe were busy disseminating falsehoods. They claimed that the PDP was disrupting activities at the INEC office, oblivious to the fact that the ongoing process was in the PDP’s interest. Why would we disrupt a process that benefits us?”
He questioned the APC’s integrity, asking, “If the APC genuinely won the September 21 governorship election, why are they creating chaos at the INEC office? Their lies are contradictory.”
Aziegbemi further alleged that the APC is responsible for stealing from the public, asserting that they are impeding the electoral process because it does not favour them. “If you truly won, why are you attempting to prevent the opposition from inspecting the electoral process? Are you hiding the truth about your victory?”
On September 24, Aziegbemi submitted a memo to INEC’s national headquarters in Abuja, referencing the Electoral Act’s provisions regarding the review of results after a week of declaration. He noted that INEC’s response would be surprising, as they indicated that the cited section is intended for internal use only and not for candidates or parties.
Regarding the release of PDP members arrested before the elections, Aziegbemi explained, “Many of our members were detained by a special police unit from Abuja before the elections. It is noteworthy that most of them have been released after paying a total of about N64 million, despite police claims that bail is free.
“Currently, there are plans to arrest additional members to prevent us from uniting to pursue our objectives. We have decided to keep you informed weekly about the political developments.”
Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, the Director General of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council, added, “Democracy grants us the constitutional right to choose our leaders, and this right cannot be denied to the people of Edo. That is why we are committed to pursuing our case to a logical conclusion.”
