PDP files petition to challenge Edo governorship election

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party announced on Monday that it has filed a petition to challenge the outcome of the September 21 governorship election.

Speaking at a press conference in Benin, the party’s state chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, confirmed that the PDP successfully filed the petition on Saturday, narrowly beating the deadline, despite facing obstacles.

Aziegbemi accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of attempting to frustrate the PDP’s right to contest the election results at the tribunal but reassured members that the party would reclaim its “stolen mandate.” He urged the people of Edo to remain hopeful, insisting that no hindrance would prevent the PDP from winning the case.

“We have filed our petition before the election tribunal on your behalf. I assure you that the journey to reclaim our mandate has begun, and by God’s grace, it will be retrieved,” Aziegbemi said.

He also criticised INEC for allegedly delaying the release of the Certified True Copies of electoral materials, saying, “Despite INEC acting as the political wing of the APC, we were still able to do the needful.”

Aziegbemi denied claims that the PDP disrupted the inspection of electoral materials at the INEC office, questioning, “In whose interest would it be to disrupt a process we applied for and were granted permission by the court to carry out?”

He further revealed that more PDP members have been arrested post-election and alleged that those accused in connection with the killing of Inspector Akor Onuh were released after paying about N64 million in bail.

“More of our members have been arrested on false allegations of killing SP Akor. How low can the police go under this biased IGP, who seems to be leading the APC’s armed wing?” he added.