Mr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Candidate in the September 2024 governorship election in Edo, says he feels a deep sense of betrayal in the Supreme Court judgment delivered today.
Ighodalo, in his reaction to the apex court verdict, on Thursday, said though he accepted the finality of the judgment, “I do not and cannot pretend that what was delivered amounts to justice.”
He spoke in a statement he personally signed and a copy made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
”My dear people of Edo State, today, the Supreme Court has ruled.
”What happened in the September 2024 Governorship Election was not a contest.
”It was a robbery. Coordinated. Deliberate. And now, tragically validated by the highest court in the land.
”While I will not and can not obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power,” he said.
According to him, like you, I feel a deep sense of betrayal.
”Not just by those who rigged the process, but by the very institutions we trusted to protect our democracy.
”You came out in hope. You voted tor competence, for progress, for prosperity.
”And now, we are told that your voice does not matter.
”That your freely given mandate can be trampled without consequence.
”I feel your pain. I share your anger. And I will never forget your courage.
”To every young person who saw in this moment the birth of a new Edo.
”To every elder who longed to see our state rise again.
”To every woman and man who prayed, campaigned, and voted.
”We may not have won the office, but we won something greater.
”We found one another. We discovered our collective strength.
”Though this painful chapter closes today, our beautiful story does not end,” he said.
Ighodalo, however, said that he would not relent in his effort at ensuring a better Edo.
”The struggle to reclaim the soul of our beloved state continues.
”Yes, dark days may lie ahead. The weight of this illegitimacy will, unfortunately, echo beyond the halls of the Supreme Court.
”I fear Edo will feel it in the absence of leadership, in the poverty of policy, and in the daily suffering of her people.
”But we are neither a fearful nor a broken people. We may be wounded. But all wounds heal.
”So let this be our vow. We will not retreat. We will not be silenced. And we will never forget,” he said.
The PDP candidate, therefore, advised Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the election, to govern the state aright.
”‘To those who now hold power undeserved, lead with humility.
”Govern with conscience. History sees what the courts may not.
”And one day, it will deliver its own verdict,” he concluded
Tag: Ighodalo
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It was a robbery, feel betrayed by Supreme Court judgment – PDP’s Ighodalo
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Edo Guber: How Ighodalo made Okpebholo’s confirmation easier than expected – By Ehichioya Ezomon
In other climes, people learn from history. But in Nigeria, it’s history that learns from the people. No matter how unfavourable the precedent is – which should serve to guard against a recurrence – Nigerians will keep doing the same thing, and expecting a different result, as starkly revealed on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at the Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal (GEPT) in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city!
Delivering judgment, the three-man tribunal dismissed, in its entirety, the petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, challenging the return of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State.
The Judges noted that the petitioners “dumped” their evidentiary materials on the tribunal, without interrogating them through relevant and credible witnesses, and thus, the tribunal was constrained, as it’s not its duty to open the documents for the petitioners.
Referencing Tanko vs INEC, the tribunal held that section 137 of Evidence Act can’t relieve the petitioners of their duty under the act to interrogate their documents at the tribunal, adding that in view of its nature, the petitioners had an onerous duty to strictly prove their case.
Recall the judgment in the petitions by the presidential candidates of the PDP and Labour Party (LP), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, respectively, against the declaration of Senator Bola Tinubu of the APC as the winner of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
The Appeal Court, which served as the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), held that the petitioners had dumped exhibits on the court, without demonstrating, via eyewitnesses, their claims to winning the poll, with Atiku, who came second, praying to be declared as the authentic winner, and Obi, despite coming third, claiming he’s the rightful winner of the election.
Stressing that “litigation is fought on pleadings, and parties swim or sink on their pleadings,” the five-member PEPT, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, unanimously held that Atiku and Obi, as well as other petitioners, failed to substantiate their allegations against the conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The justices stated that the documentary and oral evidence presented before them by Atiku and Obi couldn’t prove the claims of irregularities, corrupt practices, non-compliance with the electoral guidelines, and other allegations for which the petitioners had asked the court to void Tinubu’s election.
In their challenge of Okpebholo’s victory, the landmark ruling on the Atiku and Obi petitions – and such other judgments since the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999 – should’ve served as a guide for Ighodalo/PDP to present eyewitnesses to authenticate their alleged electoral malpractice. But they failed in that regard!
Hence, pointing to the Supreme Court guidelines, which roadmap it says bounds its handling of the electoral dispute, the tribunal emphasised that “oral evidence is required to prove over-voting,” and that the petitioners should’ve called eyewitnesses, who were present at the polling units during the election.
In the petition marked, EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the tribunal, comprising of Justices Wilfred Kpochi (Chairman), A.B. Yusuf and A.A. Adewole, held that pw2, pw3, pw4, pw5 and pw7, not being polling unit agents, weren’t competent witnesses, as they were nowhere near the polling units to observe whether there were prior recordings or not.
Besides, the tribunal noted that the result booklets tendered through the bar had nobody, such as the presiding officers, to speak on them, and held that being not the makers, the witnesses that identified the booklets weren’t competent to do so, even as the tribunal said it couldn’t make anything out of some missing pages of the booklets.
Saying the petitioners failed, by way of credible evidence, to establish why the outcome of the election should be set-aside, the tribunal held that the onus rested squarely on the petitioners to prove that the INEC unduly returned Governor Okpebholo, adding that it’s trite law that, “a petitioner must succeed on the strength of their own case and not on the weakness of the defence.”
But that – and misrepresentation of facts – was majorly what Ighodalo/PDP depended upon in their case, as gleaned from their final written address presented by Mr Ken Mozia (SAN), who, among others, claimed that:
• “All the documents we tendered were duly certified by INEC, and they were admitted without objection by the maker (INEC)… The Supreme Court decisions have established that there must be prior recording of sensitive election materials in forms EC25B, which INEC failed to comply with in some polling units.
• “The 2nd respondent (INEC) failed to tender any alternative result sheet nor plead any alternative forms EC25B to challenge or contradict PDP’s CTC documentary evidence of rigging across the disputed 765 polling units in the State.
• “No party (1st, 2nd or 3rd respondents) had impugned the IReV results that the petitioners have tendered… The Supreme Court, in Austin vs INEC, Kennedy vs INEC and Isah & Another vs INEC & Others, has affirmed that results uploaded to INEC’s IReV portal are credible.
• “The law does not require petitioners to challenge results in every polling unit (under dispute) or submit alternative results… Polling unit agents need not testify, as the disputed collation occurred at ward and local government collation centres, where polling unit agents were not present.
• “We plead with the tribunal to holistically consider the petition on several grounds for cumulative effects… Isolating grounds and submitting that such grounds, when taken alone, will not have the cumulative effects that were prayed, and adopting that it is academic, is not true… We urge My Lordships to grant this petition.”
However, in their separate submissions – which virtually aligned with the tribunal findings – counsel for the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC countered Ighodalo/PDP’s presentation, beginning with Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), INEC’s Counsel:
• “The petitioners are asking to be declared winners despite simultaneously arguing that the election was invalid — two conflicting positions… Your Lordships cannot declare the petitioners as winners of the election on the grounds of their arguments that it is invalid… “Your Lordships cannot annul the election because that is not a relief that they (petitioners) sought.
• “The petitioners have not pleaded alternative results on the basis of which they can be declared the winners… The petitioners have not (even) tendered the results they challenged… The ground of non-compliance raised by petitioners is not accompanied by consequential reliefs.
• “The number of polling unit agents (five) the petitioners called as witnesses represented a negligible number of the polling units (765) the petitioners challenged from the entire polling units (4,519) in Edo State… The polling unit agents all signed the result sheets, a clear sign that the election was organised in accordance with the law…
• “The petition is incompetent, as it does not seek the annulment of the entire election. The grounds (for the petition) are inconsistent with one another and inconsistent with themselves. It renders them defective. On the basis of these, I urge My Lordships to dismiss the petition.”
• Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), Okpebholo’s Counsel, said: “The Supreme Court has ruled that proving over-voting requires the Bimodal Verification Authentication System (BVAS) machines. Since the petitioners failed to open any of them and present the BVAS data, their claim of over-voting was unsubstantiated.
• “The petitioners had not provided crucial evidence such as Form EC25D, which records ballot paper serial numbers… Instead, they relied on Form EC25B, which merely documents the quantity of election materials received and returned… The petitioners tendered sensitive material exhibits with missing parts, contrary to the serial numbers they carry for identification.
• “Even with the polling unit records presented by the petitioners, Okpebholo still has a clear lead… This petition is a mere academic exercise. It is frivolous, baseless, unwarranted, irritating, and lacking in merit. I urge My Lords to dismiss it.”
• Chief Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), APC’s Counsel, said: “As per Supreme Court rulings, proving non-compliance requires detailed evidence from polling unit to polling unit, ward to ward, and local government to local government… The petitioners simply dumped documents on the tribunal, instead of proving them.
• The petitioners called only five polling unit agents out of over 4,000 polling units in Edo State, and did not call a single presiding officer for their hearsay evidence… It is clear that the case of the petitioners was not proven. I urge My Lordships to dismiss the petition.”
A day after the September 21, 2024, election, the INEC declared Okpebholo (APC, Edo Central) as the winner, having polled 291,667 votes (51.1%) to defeat Ighodalo, a Lagos-based Lawyer and business tycoon, who got 247,274 votes (43.3%).
Dissatisfied with the outcome, the petitioners approached the tribunal, alleging, among others, over-voting, non-serialisation of electoral materials and INEC’s suppression, falsification and alteration of results across 765 polling units in Edo State, which reportedly deprived Ighodalo victory and the governorship.
In the petition, Ighodalo and the PDP appeared as 1st and 2nd Petitioners, while the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Respondents, respectively, with the disputants representated by many election petition-tested Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and junior legal practitioners.
The tribunal, which sat at the National Judicial Institute (NJI), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, began its pre-hearing on January 13, and the hearing proper on January 24, 2025, in Benin City, Edo State capital city, before relocating sitting to Abuja on January 28 over alleged security threats posed by armed political thugs.
During the proceedings, which lasted till February 13, the petitioners tendered copious exhibits, pre-loaded and/or presented through the bar; 153 BVAS machines used in 133 of the 765 disputed polling units; and called 19 of 99 witnesses, and closed their case on February 3.
While the 1st respondent (INEC) didn’t present any of the five witnesses it’d pledged, and closed its case on February 6; and the 2nd respondent (Okpebholo) called one of his six witnesses and closed his case on February 10; the 3rd respondent (APC) called four of 28 witnesses, and closed its defence on February 13.
At this juncture, it bears repeating the immortal words of Muhammad JSC, in Olonade vs Sowemimo (2014) LPELR-22914(SC), 27 – in explaining the meaning of the standard of proof in civil cases, (and) the balance of probabilities – that:
“The court decides which side’s evidence is heavier, not by the number of witnesses called by either party or on the basis of the one being oral and the other being documentary, but by the quality or probative value of the evidence be it oral and/or documentary.”
Were the parties to the electoral dispute, especially Ighodalo and the PDP, able to meet the Supreme Court benchmark, as per Justice Muhammad? Definitely, yes by the respondents; but absolutely no, on the part of the petitioners, prompting Justice Kpochi, who, delivered the lead judgment, to declare that the tribunal “found no reason to nullify the outcome of the election” (as prayed by the petitioners), and dismissed the petition as “lacking in merit.”
The tribunal had hardly delivered the judgment when Dr Ighodalo (and PDP) signalled his intention to head to the Appeal Court, to challenge the confirmation of Senator Okpebholo as Governor of Edo State.
It’s Ighodalo’s right to appeal the tribunal verdict, going by the Latin legal maxim, “ubi jus ibi remedium,” which translates into, “Where there is a right, there is a remedy.” Meaning that if a legal right is violated, the law should provide a means for redress or relief to the aggrieved party.
Yet, Ighodalo should take heed that it’s the same evidence adduced, the facts presented, and the arguments marshalled at the tribunal that’ll be laid before the Justices of the Appeal Court, and possibly the Justices of the Supreme Court for a final opinion on the matter.
There’ll be no room for amendments or presentation of fresh or better evidence – as the petitioners attempted but failed at the tribunal – unless in very rare instances, which, nonetheless, will not affect the overall trajectory of the case. So, it’s not looking good proceeding with the appeal. Let’s learn from history!
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PDP’s Ighodalo to appeal Edo tribunal’s verdict
Mr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 19 September governorship election in Edo, has said he will challenge the tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal.
The Edo election tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, reaffirmed Gov. Monday Okpebholo’s victory and dismissed the petitions from the PDP and Ighodalo.
Ighodalo, in a statement in Benin, said his decision to challenge the judgment aimed to protect Edo people’s collective rights and ensure they freely determine their future.
“Today, the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered its judgment on our petition challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 election in our dear state.
“While we may not all agree with the verdict, we remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must continue as democracy’s foundational bedrock.
“Our pursuit of justice affirms our firm belief that Edo people’s right to freely choose their leaders through credible, free, and fair elections must always prevail.
“As a committed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and urge all Edo people to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding,” he stated.
Ighodalo said this was not the end of their journey but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate.
He commended the people for their massive support, sincere love, and belief in their shared vision for a prosperous Edo, which had fuelled their journey.
“For us, this has never been about personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear ‘Pathway to Prosperity’ for Edo while upholding democracy’s core values.
“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a serious miscarriage of justice.
“This is not about me or any single individual; it is about democracy’s essence, our collective right to determine our future, and our legacy for generations unborn.
“We remain resolute. We remain committed. We shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” Ighodalo said.
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Edo governorship: Tribunal reserves judgment in PDP, Ighodalo’s petition
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Edo has reserved judgment in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and it’s governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo.
Ighodalo is challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election in the state.
The Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member tribunal reserved the judgment on Monday after counsel in the matter adopted their final written addresses.
According to Justice Kpochi, a date for judgment will be communicated to parties by the secretary of the trubunal.
“The tribunal stands adjourned until then,” he said.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, counsel to the petitioners, Mr Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN told the tribunal that the business of the day was for adoption of final written addresses.
Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Mr Kanu Agabi, SAN proceeded to adopt the final address of his client.
Agabi by way of adumbration prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking in merit.
He said this was based on the grounds that the tribunal could not annul the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election because it was not one of the reliefs sought by the petitioners.
The senior lawyer also told the tribunal that it could not declare the petitioners as winners of that election in the light of their own assertion that the election was invalid.
Speaking on the claim of non-compliance pleaded by the petitioners, Agabi said it was weak as it was not accompanied by the appropriate relief which was nullification of election.
He also said that the claim of majority of lawful votes pleaded by the petitioners could not avail them since their other claim was that the election was invalid.
He also argued that the number of polling unit agents called as witnesses represented an insignificant or even negligible per cent of the number of polling units in Edo.
Another ground that INEC prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition based on was that all the polling unit agents called as witnesses signed the result sheet and they could not distinguish between what they heard and what they saw.
“This is a clear indication that the election was conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
“The results were duly collated at all levels of collation.
“The petitioners have not pleaded any alternative results on the basis of which they can be declared as winners.
“The case of the petitioners is based on analysis undertaken by hired consultants ,” he said.
He further held that the documents upon which the petitioners relied were all dumped on the tribunal and could not be used in their favour.
He therefore prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition in its entirety as it had no merit.
For his part, counsel to Gov. Monday Okpebholo, Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN told the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds that it had become an academic exercise.
He said that in the course of their research, they carefully extracted the polling units which the petitioners tendered documents on and compared them to the ones they presented and even at that, his client was well ahead of the petitioners in the polls.
On the contentious Form EC25b where the petitioners claimed the serial numbers of sensitive materials must be given, Ikpeazu said that all that was required for the form was quantity of electoral materials received and quantity returned.
He added that a pronouncement of the Supreme Court said that one could not prove over voting without the Bimodal Verification Authentication System (BVAs) Machines but that none of the machines was opened to allow the tribunal look at the content.
According to him, the petitioners by not tendering the right documents, failed to prove over voting on the whole.
Speaking on behalf of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) Mr Emmanuel Ukala argued that it was clear that the case of the petitioners was based virtually and entirely on non-compliance.
“By the nature of the case they pleaded, the Supreme Court has over the years laid down that they need to prove this by polling unit to polling unit, ward to ward and local government by local government.”
He, however, held that rather than prove this, the petitioners dumped documents on the court.
He said that without polling unit agents testifying to those documents, they were useless and the case remained unproved.
Ukala argued that with over 4,000 polling units in Edo, the petitioners called only five polling unit agents and no single presiding officer.
He also said that since the petitioners failed to demonstrate how the BVAs worked, it was clear that the case of the petitioners was not proved and it should be dismissed.
Responding, counsel to the petitioners, Mr Ken Moze, SAN, said that with 4519 polling units in Edo, the complaint in the petition was concerning 765 of them.
According to him, it is law that successful prosecution of election petition is not about the percentage of the total polling units in the state but the effect of the successive establishment of the complaint.
He further argued that the petition must be considered whollistically and not in parts.
“So the submission of isolating grounds and labeling them alone as academic is not well founded,” he said.
On the issue of not presenting the tribunal with an alternative result, the senior lawyer said that it was on record that all the results before the tribunal were tendered by his client.
On why the petitioners called only five polling unit agents, he said that the grouse of his client was with what happened at the collation centres and not at the polling units so they didn’t need more than five agents to testify.
“We concede that elections took place at the polling units but how 25 votes metamorphosed to 525 votes at the collation center is what we are quarrelling with,” he said.
Speaking on the claim that they dumped documents on the tribunal, Moze said that all the documents they tendered were duly certified by INEC and were tendered without objection from the commission, the makers of the document.
He also held that the tribunal had requisite jurisdiction to hear the petition because their allegations were not pre-election matters.
Having taken all the arguments, Justice Kpochi said that judgment in the matter was reserved to a date to be communicated to the parties by the secretary of the tribunal.
NAN reports that the PDP and its governorship candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo approached the tribunal, praying it to invalidate the outcome of the governorship election on the grounds of alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.
They further contended that Okpebholo did not secure the highest number of majority votes cast in that election.
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Edo 2024: Heading to tribunal, Ighodalo dashes Okpebholo’s hope for ‘congratulation’ – By Ehichioya Ezomon
The typical politician shows only one part of their persona when campaigning for elective office. They tell the public that they seek the political position simply – and solely – to render service to the people. They deny the craving for further expansion of their private frontiers with public power, resources, and influence!
Note that the tongue-in-cheek politician or politico-technocrat doesn’t render any noticeable service – not to talk of a selfless one – for the general good, but only to themselves, their immediate and extended families, friends, business associates and old school mates, if they still remember them.
The grassroots are never in the reckoning of the average politician or technocrat until it comes to seeking to occupy an elective position. If their competitors abridged their ambition, they rave and rant in the media about a “stolen mandate” allegedly given to them by the very people they’ve never considered on their way to the top.
The tenacious efforts to “retrieve the stolen mandate” – with a huge financial outlay to hire several of the best and most expensive senior lawyers – betrays the politician’s selfish reason for wanting to serve in an elective position. If really their interest is genuine – and the people they seek to serve have rejected them at the ballot – why not simply shrug their shoulder and honourably bow and retreat?
Not so with the Nigerian politician, who sees the alure of elective office so tempting as to declare the fight for it a do-or-die affair that entertains no failure at the poll, nor a concrete and peaceful plan of exit. Rather, the politician will cry foul that their “mandate has been stolen.”
They’ll rile up their party base, supporters and critics with inflammatory statements against the actual “mandate holder,” and the electoral umpire that may’ve made that declaration without bias, or being influenced, but in accordance with the laws of the election. They’ll follow up their criticisms and condemnation with a threat to – and actually – go to the Election Petitions Tribunal, to “regain the stolen mandate.”
This illustrates the step-by-step reaction and actions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21, 2024, governorship election in Edo State, Dr Asue Ighodalo, who lost to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo (APC, Edo Central).
Let’s briefly look at Ighodalo’s reason for elective office vis-a-vis his rationale for vowing to go for broke at the tribunal, which he hinted about in his thank-you message to Edo people on September 23 in Benin City. The message was entitled, “My good people of Edo State, in all things, we must first give thanks to God.”
According to Ighodalo: “We are grateful for the gift of life, health, and your overwhelming love and support throughout this journey. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood by us. Your unwavering dedication has fueled our campaign and kept us moving forward.
“I particularly thank the brave people of Edo State who, despite rain, threats, and intimidation, cast their votes on September 21, 2024. Your resilience is the bedrock of our democracy. You are the true heroes of this moment, and your courage will never be forgotten. Your sacrifice paves the way for a brighter Edo State, one built on integrity and justice.
“My aspiration has never been about power. It has always been a genuine desire to serve and create prosperity for all in Edo State, for every man, woman, and child. I visited every ward, every local government, sharing this vision of hope and listening to your dreams. Your voices strengthened my resolve to fight for a better future.
“To our dedicated supporters, I thank you deeply for your belief in this cause. Your time, conversations, and votes carried us far beyond expectations. We ran a great campaign together, and your support was clear. Sadly, our progress was abruptly halted by those who don’t care for the people or the future of Edo.
“September 21, 2024, will be remembered as a dark day. The brazen theft of our mandate and the silencing of your voice was a grave injustice. But we must not be discouraged. Evil’s temporary victory can never erase the truth. Our quest for prosperity is just beginning, not ending.”
Certainly, Ighodalo, being a politico-technocrat, has subsumed his professing of “service to the people,” to gain the elusive elective office of Governor by all means possible. Rejecting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) declaration of Okpebholo, Ighodalo heads to the courts for an epic legal battle to retrieve his “stolen mandate.”
Unless the unforeseen, and unexpected happens, Ighodalo – if he chooses to run the gamut of the law – has 10 months of six months at the Election Petitions Tribunal, two months at the Appeal Court and two months at the Supreme Court, in that order, to exhaust his case.
In an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ on September 27, as reported by Daily Trust, Ighodalo accused the INEC and the Police of colluding to rob him of his “mandate,” stating that many voters were disenfranchised, amid evidence of rampant over-voting, and alteration of results.
Ighodalo said: “There was a collusion between the INEC and the police to suppress the will of the people of Edo State. People of Edo State purposely voted for us (PDP). We won the election clearly. It is painful because you have many young people who felt that they were disenfranchised in the past; they feel that their votes were not counted and they asked what kind of democracy we run.
“I had been trying to encourage them, that make sure your votes count but we have serious collusion by INEC and the APC working towards votes not counting. But this time around, we will go through the judicial process and the vote will count. We are quite clear that with the evidence we have, we will show clearly that we won the election. And the mandate of the people will be upheld.”
Exonerating the PDP from vote-buying, Ighodalo added: “We were not involved in vote buying at all. APC agents came with minted notes straight from the CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria); they were offering N20,000, N30,000 and N50,000 per vote. Our guys went to them and told them, ‘you can’t come here to buy votes.’”
Very weighty allegations of disenfranchisement of voters; suppression of votes; over-voting; buying of votes; alteration of results; fraudulent process; and connivance of the APC, INEC and Police to flip Ighodalo’s “victory” for Okpebholo. To get judgment(s), though, at the courts, Ighodalo and the PDP must “prove these allegations beyond all reasonable doubts,” and “in substantial compliance” with the relevant electoral laws in Nigeria.
However, it appears Ighodalo and the PDP are poised to run their election petitions at the tribunal along with an indefinite protest to pressure the INEC to reverse its declaration of Okpebholo as the winner of the poll, and restore Ighodalo’s reported “stolen mandate.”
Kicking off the protest in Benin City on October 2, the party leaders, including the Edo chapter chairman, Dr Anthony Aziegbemi, the Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council, Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, and the Deputy Director-General (Media and Publicity), Rev. Olu Martins, carried placards, demanding that INEC return the “stolen mandate” by declaring Dr Ighodalo as “the authentic winner of the governorship election.”
Stating that the protest was to inform the world that Ighodalo had won the election, and that the INEC altered the results of certain local governments in favour of another candidate, Aziegbemi thanked the PDP supporters for “joining this journey to reclaim our stolen mandate, which was subverted by both the police and INEC.”
“If we had lost in a free and fair contest, we would have congratulated them (Okpebholo and APC), but they stole our mandate. Therefore, we cannot congratulate them,” Aziegbemi said. “This is Nigeria; we will not allow our victory to be stolen. We are confident that the overwhelming evidence we will present will help recover our mandate.”
Aziegbemi urged the supporters to “remain patient,” while the judiciary reviews the evidence impartially, “and recognises that the PDP rightfully won the election, and delivers a fair judgment.”
As Ighodalo takes his defeat to the tribunal, a chieftain of the PDP and Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, has congratulated Okpebholo on his victory. This comes as Agbebaku welcomed members of the assembly back from a very long recess on October 2, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Agbebaku, who’s third in the hierarchy of elected and appointed officials in the state, and a major player in the September 21 poll, noted that “the Governor-elect is for all Edo people, and not just the APC,” and expressed the hope that sycophants wouldn’t mislead Okpebholo from running an inclusive government.
Meanwhile, Okpebholo – after he and Deputy Governor-elect Dennis Idahosa presented their Certificates of Return to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on September 26 – stated that if he were in Ighodalo’s shoes, he’d congratulate the winner of the election.
Okpebholo, fielding questions from State House correspondents on what he would’ve done had he lost the governorship, and what does his election portend for Edo State, said: “I think Edo people have spoken with their votes. For me, I’m coming as a servant to serve Edo people. That is what is required of me, and that is exactly what I am going to do.
“My election as Governor of Edo signals a new dawn for the State. So, very soon, we will see a lot of developments coming to Edo. A lot will be happening over time.”
Promising to run an open-door administration – and urging those who lost at the election to bear the pain with fortitude – Okpebholo declared: “If I had lost, I would have to bear it, and I would have, by now, congratulated the winner. So, I’m expecting them to congratulate me.”
To the typical politician, accepting electoral defeat is easier said than done, notwithstanding their parroting of service the people. As he’s not affected in the instant scenario, Okpebholo can afford to sing a different tune from Ighodalo’s, who’s taken the optional legal route for remedy to his poll grievances.
If Okpebholo were defeated on September 21, it could only take his will power – via the grace of the Lord – to take a page from the playbook of former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, to say to the winner, “I congratulate you for your victory at the election.”
Does Okpebholo possess such will power, to resist the pressures from his immediate family, the campaign organisation, political party, financial backers, supporters, aides and consultants not to cave in, and congratulate the opponent that beat him to the second position at the ballot? Yet, must politicians serve the people by force, by going to the tribunal to regain a “stolen mandate” that’s most often a figment of their imagination?
Ighodalo congratulating Okpebholo or not is immaterial at this stage of the long journey to the Osadebey Avenue Government House seat of power in Benin City, Edo State capital city. What matters is Okpebholo’s choice to waste or make judicious use of the first months at his disposal – within which before the election petitions and appeals are dispensed with – to prove his mettle that he’s the right person for Governor of Edo State from November 11, 2024!
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Edo guber: My aspiration has never been about power – Ighodalo
Dr Asue Ighodalo, Candidate of the PDP in the just concluded Edo governorship election, has said that his aspiration was never about power but a genuine desire to serve Edo people.
In his thank you message to Edo people made available to newsmen on Monday in Benin, Ighodalo said he was determined to create prosperity for all in Edo.
The Message reads in parts: “My good people of Edo State, in all things, we must first give thanks to God.
“We are grateful for the gift of life, health, and your overwhelming love and support throughout this journey.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood by us. Your unwavering dedication has fueled our campaign and kept us moving forward.
“I particularly thank the brave people of Edo State who, despite rain, threats, and intimidation, cast their votes on September 21, 2024. Your resilience is the bedrock of our democracy.
“You are the true heroes of this moment, and your courage will never be forgotten. Your sacrifice paves the way for a brighter Edo State, one built on integrity and justice.
“My aspiration has never been about power. It has always been a genuine desire to serve and create prosperity for all in Edo State, for every man, woman, and child.
“I visited every ward, every local government, sharing this vision of hope and listening to your dreams. Your voices strengthened my resolve to fight for a better future.
“To our dedicated supporters, I thank you deeply for your belief in this cause. Your time, conversations, and votes carried us far beyond expectations.
“We ran a great campaign together, and your support was clear. Sadly, our progress was abruptly halted by those who don’t care for the people or the future of Edo.
“September 21, 2024, will be remembered as a dark day. The brazen theft of our mandate and the silencing of your voice was a grave injustice.
“But we must not be discouraged. Evil’s temporary victory can never erase the truth. Our quest for prosperity is just beginning, not ending.
“Let us stay united, engaged, and determined. You stood by me during this campaign, and as we face uncertain times ahead, I promise I will stand by you.
Together, we will create a pathway to prosperity for all in Edo State, ” he said.
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Edo election: Ighodalo condemns late arrival of materials amid protest
Dr Asue Ighodalo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Edo governorship election, has condemned late arrival of officials of Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and election materials to his polling unit.
According to reports, INEC Officials and materials arrived in Ighodalo’s Okaegben ward one, unit 3 in Ewohimi at exactly 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Ighodalo, who arrived at the voting centre at 10:30 a.m., also condemned the arrest of some PDP members in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of the state.
He also decried the late arrival of election materials in Owan West Local Government Area.
“As you can see, INEC Officials and materials just arrived and they are well over two hours late.
“Well, we are still well around the allocated time for voting; let us see what we can achieve between now and close of voting hours,’’ he said.
According to him, it will only be fair if the voting hours are extended by the numbers of hours lost.
Edo: Voters protest non-arrival of INEC officials, materials
Eligible Voters in Ewohimi, particularly in Okaegben ward one, polling 3 and 15, were yet to exercise their franchise as at 10.30am at the ongoing Edo governorship election.
The unit is the polling centre of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo where he is expected to vote.
The voters who expressed concern at the absence of INEC at the most polling units in Ewohimin, said the development could affect voting process.
Mr Christopher Adoghe, a voter, said ” This is past 10am and up till now, we have not seen INEC officials and materials in polling unit three where the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is expected to vote.
“From here you can also see unit 15, there are no materials and INEC officials.
“From the information reaching us, most of the polling units in Ewohimi are experiencing the same issue, no INEC Officials and materials, he said.
According to him, look at old men and women out in the rain but no INEC officials to commence voting at 10:30am
Mr Monday Victor, a voter and an elderly man who also expressed concern over the delay, called on the INEC chairman to immediately order his officials to various voting points in Ewohimi.
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Despite armoured tanks surrounding ex- Governor, Edolites will express themselves on Saturday
The Edo election has been won by the people of Edo State despite the machinations of hostile forces trying to use security and other agencies of the Federal Government to thwart them, Dr Pedro Obaseki, the deputy director-general of the Asue Ighodalo Campaign has said.
Obaseki who spoke in an interview late on Thursday said that the Edo people will push through their choice of Dr Asue Ighodalo despite the armoured tanks being used to intimidate them by a former governor of the state campaigning for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Dr Obaseki who spoke in an interview with a national TV station said:
“When you push us to the wall we will come out fighting like a bull. A people who for centuries were not trampled upon by any black nation we will come out to express ourselves.
“I am giving it to you that as at 7.30 p.m. as we speak that at his place (former governor of Edo State) that there are two armoured tanks, one on this side one on the other side and about 30 police vehicles then all the thugs are there.
“There is no thoroughfare there right now but that will not work. The Edo people we no de fear. On a normal level we know how to face these people. So, on the day of the poll we will all move to the polls and all express ourselves not because of but inspite of all these people that want to mangle us
“When Edo people, a set of people who for centuries no tribe of black extraction ever conquered, when we are confronted with things that want to pull at our strength, we rise up and we fight back.
“With our PVCs we will trample these people who are bent on changing the will of our people. This can happen any where else, but this is Edo, a race that have the conqueror DNA and any other person whosoever wants to, we will sweep them away with their brooms.
“The Edo people know that Asue Ighodalo is our umbrella into our future,” he said.
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Angry Edo PDP guber candidate, Ighodalo files N20bn defamatory suit against Oshiomhole
Angry candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Dr. Asue Ighodalo has filed a N20 billion defamatory suit against Senator Adams Oshiomhole over comments on Planwell scheme.
Ighodalo through his counsel, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, also sought an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for the false, defamatory, and malicious comments which should be published in at least two (2) National Television Networks and three (3) nationally circulating newspapers.
The PDP candidate noted that the allegations by Oshiomhole were baseless, false, and malicious, describing them as another of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District in the recent past.
He added that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story is a figment of Oshiomhole’s imagination, intended to denigrate his good character and reputation for the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of Oshiomhole’s party and candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Edo State.
A letter by Ighodalo’s lawyers dated September 16, 2024, and addressed to Oshiomhole reads, “We are counsel to Dr. Asue Ighodalo, who is the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election.
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Edo poll: Davido canvasses votes for PDP’s Ighodalo
Nigerian superstar, David Adeleke (Davido) has begun canvassing votes for Asue Ighodalo, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Edo governorship election billed for Sept. 21.
The award winning music star took to his social media handles on Sunday evening, to make the endorsement for Ighodalo.
He urged the younger ones to come out en masse to vote for the PDP candidate.
He said Ighodalo, who happened to come from the same place with his late mother, is the right candidate to vote for.
The renowned singer captioned it on a picture of the PDP candidate: ”The next governor of my mother’s homeland”.
With millions of followers on social media, Davido’s endorsement could influence the narrative of the upcoming election, particularly among the youths.
NAN recalls that celebrities like Banky W and his wife, actress Adesua Etomi, actress Etinosa Nollywood actor and producer Charles Onojie among others, also publicly supported the PDP candidate.
Other influential business figures like Dr Aloy Chife and former Nigerian Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. former governors Liyel Imoke and Donald Duke of Cross River State, have also been vocal in their backing of Ighodalo.
The combination of celebrity endorsements and support from political heavyweights is expected to boost PDP chances amidst fierce challenge from the opposition.