Edo poll: INEC complicit in results manipulation – Asue Ighodalo

Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the just concluded Edo State gubernatorial election, has lamented what he described as a clear manipulation of results, alleging that the electoral umpire was complicit in the act.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state.

Okpebholo, who represents Edo Central in the Senate, won 11 out of 18 local government areas in the state, securing 291,667 votes to defeat other 16 contenders in the election which has been disputed by the opposition and observers.

Read also: Edo election marred with irregularities, opposition stole PDP mandate – Ighodalo

Ighodalo of the PDP won seven local government councils, garnering 247,274 votes to become the runner up. Labour Party (LP)’s Olumide Akpata is in a distant third with just 22,763 votes.

Speaking with the BBC on Sunday, the PDP candidate said he was disappointed in the conduct of the election, describing it as the “worst in the history of the country.”

“You see results being thrown up, where the total result is much more than the total number of accredited voters,” Ighodalo said.

He cited an example of a polling unit where the total number of accredited voters was 156 but the declared result gave the APC 2110 votes and 57 votes for the PDP. He added that similar things happened in about 50 units and the APC was the beneficiary of the manipulation.

“We see clear manipulation. I have always said this, manipulation cannot happen except there is complicity and connivance by INEC,” Ighodalo said.

Also, Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), has said that the just concluded election failed the integrity test.

The observer group said the election collation process was marred by inconsistencies which suggests a manipulation of the vote.

“Based on reports from 287 of 300 (96%) sampled polling units, Yiaga Africa’s statistical analysis shows inconsistencies in the official results announced by INEC,” a statement signed by Samson Itodo, Yiaga’s executive director; and Aisha Abdullahi, chairperson of the 2024 Edo election mission reads in part.