The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the results of last Saturday by-elections in the State announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The party in statement signed by its State Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare said “The BVAS is the single most important tool that guarantees the credibility of elections in Nigeria. What we witnessed was not a technical failure but a deliberate sabotage by INEC to provide room for manipulation in cohort with APC and creates an unfair advantage for the APC and renders the entire process compromised.
“We reject the purported results being circulated by INEC. This election is nothing but an embarrassment to democracy. INEC hides under so-called “glitches” and “malfunctions,” but the real issue is its lack of competence, neutrality, and moral standing.
“In any responsible society, the management of INEC would by now have been sacked and prosecuted for repeatedly compromising the electoral process. Nigerians deserve elections that are free, fair, and credible — not exercises where the outcome is predetermined. Until our elections are adequately prepared for and conducted transparently, democracy in Nigeria will remain under siege”, the party said.
Recall that in the results announced by INEC, the candidate of the APC for Edo Central Senatorial District, Joseph Ikpea scored 105,129 votes while the PDP candidate, Joe Okojie polled 15, 246 votes.
Similarly, the APC candidate for Ovia Federal Constituency House of Representatives seat by-election, Omosede Igbinedion, scored 77,053 votes to defeat her PDP opponent, Johnny Aikpitanyi, who scored 3,838 votes.
