The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has vowed to take firm steps to retrieve its “stolen mandate” in Edo State, using every legal means available in democracy.
Acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum, announced the party’s position in as a press conference, in Abuja, on Monday.
He said this in his first official reaction to the results of the Edo State Governorship election, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The INEC announced the candidate of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Monday Okpebholo, as winner of the election and governor elect.
Damagum said, “The PDP charges the people of Edo State to remain resolute and undeterred as our Party takes sure and firm steps to retrieve the mandate with every means legal and available in a democracy.
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“In this election, we shall still put to test once again the level of the preparedness of the judiciary to do justice where it is required.
“So, 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.”
Earlier, the PDP Acting National Chairman expressed a deep sense of burden and serious concern for Nigeria’s Democracy and its political stability following what he described as the use of state Institutions and instruments of coarsion, to undermine the electoral process.
Damagum said, “From unfolding political events in the country, the latest being the brazen rigging of the Saturday, September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in connivance with government-controlled agencies, it is clear that our democracy is under threat.
“As you know and widely reported in all segments of the media, the 2024 Edo State Governorship election was barefacedly compromised by the APC in collusion with unpatriotic security operatives and heavily procured officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 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.
“You may recall that the PDP had on several occasions alerted of this sinister plot by the APC to subvert the election, the roles allegedly being played by AIG Zone 7, Benneth Igwe and Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Nemo Edwin-Iwo and the appointment of a known APC apologist and supporter, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, as the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
“Several demands by our Party for the redeployment of these officials as well as the release of all arrested PDP members and supporters fell on deaf ears and tend to validate PDP’s suspicion of a top-level conspiracy to rig the Edo State governorship election.
“Nigerians and the world watched in horror as the APC-compromised security operatives and thugs unleashed terror, harass, arrest and detain PDP members and supporters, foisted siege mentality on the people and paved the way for APC agents and procured INEC officials to manipulate the ballot process, substitute genuine results from the Polling Units with fictitious figures and transferred the victory clearly won by our candidate, Asue Ighodalo to the defeated APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
“As Nigerians already know, 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