Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday staged a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin City, expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome of the recently concluded Edo State governorship election.
Led by Dr. Anthony Aziegbemi, the state PDP chairman, the protest included key figures such as the Director General of the PDP Campaign Council, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, and the Deputy Director General of Media and Publicity, Reverend Olu Martins.
The demonstrators carried placards demanding that INEC return what they termed their “stolen mandate,” insisting that Dr. Asue Ighodalo is the rightful winner of the election.
The protest caused significant traffic disruptions, particularly along the Ramat Park area of the Auchi-Benin expressway, as protesters voiced their grievances for several hours.
Addressing the crowd, Aziegbemi alleged that the election results had been tampered with and called on INEC to declare Ighodalo as the legitimate victor. He accused INEC and security agencies of collusion, claiming, “The police and INEC subverted the will of the people.”
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He further explained that the PDP would not concede defeat, as they believed the election had not been free and fair. “If we had lost fairly, we would have congratulated them, but they stole our mandate. Therefore, we cannot congratulate them,” Aziegbemi stated.
Assuring supporters of eventual victory, he urged them to remain patient as the judiciary reviews the case. He expressed confidence in the evidence that the party would present, which he said would prove that the PDP had won the election. Aziegbemi also emphasized the party’s peaceful approach, noting that their protests had been conducted without violence.
Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, the Director General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Organization, reiterated the party’s commitment to continuing the protests until Ighodalo’s mandate was restored. Meanwhile, Reverend Olu Martins called for the removal of INEC officers from Egor, Oredo, and Ikpoba Okha, accusing them of electoral misconduct during the polls.
As the dispute heads to the judiciary, the PDP remains hopeful that the courts will uphold what they believe to be the rightful outcome of the election.
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