#EdoDecides2024: This may become Nigeria’s worst election – PDP candidate Ighodalo

Governor Obaseki said he got reports from PDP agents that they were not allowed to participate in the collation process.

The PDP governorship candidate in Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has expressed dissatisfaction over Saturday’s election, saying it might be the worst in Nigeria’s history.

During the PDP campaign council briefing Sunday morning monitored on Channels TV, Mr Ighodalo noted that some results hinted at “shady behaviour,” citing instances where the total votes announced surpassed the accredited voters.

He said, “From our perspective, the way these elections are going, they’re probably going to be the worst elections in the history of this country.

“We have information, for instance, where we have over 20 polling units, where the accredited voters are less than the total votes, which is not possible.

“There’s a result writing scheme going on, and it’s totally unacceptable. This process is not acceptable, and then they’re trying to disenfranchise our collation agents.

“At every point, you find APC and their thugs supported by people dressed as security agents going to shoot at polling agents and disrupting processes. This is not accepted in the 21st century and not in Nigeria”.

Results collation interrupted

In his comments, Governor Godwin Obaseki said he got reports from PDP agents that they were not allowed to participate in the collation process.

Mr Obaseki condemned “INEC’s delay in announcing the postponement of collation”, noting that as of 3 am, there was no information from INEC as to what next.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that there was tension at the Edo State’s head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Sunday, forcing it to postpone the final collation of results to 11 am.

Adamawa governor speaks

The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, who leads the PDP’s campaign council, also noted that the collation process was violently interrupted in several local government areas across the state.

Mr Finiti said in Edo South Local Government Area, the collation process was stopped in three polling units and “moved illegally to the state head office of INEC in Benin, on the instruction of the Assistant Inspector General police, in complete breach of the statutory collation process.”

He said affected party agents and representatives were then ordered to converge on the INEC office for completion of the collation exercise.

“Upon arrival, agents of the PDP were not allowed into INEC state office for the exercise. On the other hand, agents of the APC were allowed unfettered access to the INEC premises to participate in the collation process.

“This was also in breach of the Electoral Act on neutrality as well as the rules and regulations published for this election,” he said.

The PDP candidate is seeking to succeed Mr Obaseki whose tenure ends by 12 November.