The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has concluded plans to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and All Progressives Congress (APC) before the tribunal to challenge outcome of the Edo State Governorship election.
To avoid any court suit, the party stressed that INEC should review the election results and declare it’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, winner of the poll.
The party said the review will allow INEC to declare the result that was obtained from the genuine votes cast at the polling units.
The PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Monday after reviewing results brought by the party agents.
According to him, the way and manner the judiciary treats the outcome of Edo election will determine whether Nigerians still have a country.
Damagum stated that the people of Edo chose Dr. Asue Ighodalo as the next governor, adding that only their will as expressed at the polling units should be allowed to stand, and not anything else.
He said, “Despite the violence, intimidation and manipulations by the APC, results obtained from the polling units show that our candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo clearly won the election before the figures were altered at the state collation exercise in favour of the defeated APC candidate.”
The PDP acting National Chairman added that the party will still put to test, the level of the preparedness of the judiciary to do justice when it is called upon.
He also said, “We cannot overrule a situation whereby justice will be dispensed but the most important thing is that we shall put them to more scrutiny before the eyes on Nigerians because they say that when the judicial system does not work, then you don’t have a country. I don’t know if we will still have a country.”
He recalled that PDP had on several occasions alerted of the alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to subvert the election.
Damagum said Nigeria’s democracy is under threat, and accused the APC of compromising INEC officials, in connivance with security operatives, “who viciously trampled on the votes of the people in defiance of the law and total disregard to the sovereign will of the people of Edo State.”
