EDO: How Okpebholo floored Ighodalo with 44,012 votes

AT exactly 9.28 pm, yesterday, Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared the winner of the Edo State 2024 governorship election, sparking celebration in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to beat his closest marker, Dr Asue Ighodalo, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who scored 247,655 votes. Okpebholo was better with 44,012 votes and emerged victorious in Edo’s keenest governorship poll ever.

Labour Party, LP, Standard bearer, Olumide Akpata, came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

An elated Okpebholo told Edo people that they had elected the best person for the job and should expect the best from him.

His victory came amid complaints from Governor Obaseki, the PDP Campaign Council, PDP governors, and civil society organisations, who picked holes in the hitches that trailed the collation process midway and urged the INEC to address the situation.

A new Edo is rising— Okpebholo

Speaking shortly after being declared winner of the election, Senator Okpebholo promised to develop Edo State, adding that Edo was rising.

He said: “Edo people have elected the right person for the job. A new Edo is rising. I am here to develop Edo State, I want to transform Edo the way it should be. I want to tell you that I will start from where Adams Oshiomhole stopped. Edo will receive a new transformation and by the grace of God, Edo will stand firm.”

To emerge victorious, Okpebholo won 11 of the 18 local councils of the state but one of the three senatorial districts. He was dominant in Edo North where Senator Adams Oshiomhole hails from but lost his Edo Central and Edo South narrowly to Ighodalo, who is also from Edo Central.

In Edo North, the APC candidate polled 130,684 votes compared to PDP’s 76,959 votes and LP’s 5,987.

In Edo Central it was APC (48,895); PDP (54,813) and LP (1,546). And in Edo South, it was Okpebholo (112,088 votes); Ighodalo (115,502) and Akpata (15,230).

The 11 LGAs that Okpebholo won including Governor Godwin Obaseki’s Orhionmwon are Etsako West, Etsako East, Akofo Edo, Owan East, Owan West, Etsako Central, Esan West, Esan North-East, Esan central, Egor, and Oredo.

Ighodalo prevailed in seven LGAs, namely Esan North-East, Esan South-East, Igueben, Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West, Uhunwonde and Ikpoba-Okha.

Processes, rule of law disregarded —Obaseki

In his reaction, Governor Obaseki urged Edo residents to remain calm over the outcome of the poll as announced by the electoral commission.

Obaseki said the election was marred with disregard to processes and rule of law, but urged aggrieved persons to explore the legal options to express their grievances.

The statement reads: “In the last few months, the various political parties have embarked on very rigorous campaigns to sell their respective candidates for the office of governor to the people of Edo State in an exercise which came to a climax yesterday with the gubernatorial election.

“The attractive thing about democracy is the power it bestows on the people to choose who governs them. Therefore, when this power is blatantly seized from the people, it is not just a tragedy, but a travesty of democracy.

“Regrettably, the outcome of the September 21st governorship election appears to have daunted the spirit of many Edo people who feel powerless in the face of the brute force of the institutions that are supposed to protect them. “It is therefore understandable that many people feel sad and aggrieved.

“But in the midst of this despair, I am urging all my fellow Edo citizens to maintain calm and not resort to violence and destruction of property in spite of this provocation.

“Peace and justice will always win in the end and this is my prescription to all the good people of Edo State who feel vexed and violated at this time.

“Clearly, it is obvious to the least discerning, the amount of impunity and reckless disregard for processes and law that was displayed in this gubernatorial election.

“In a democracy, there are safeguards for addressing grievances, and we hope that those affected will seek resolution for this blatant disregard of law and process.

“With this in mind, I implore all Edo people to go about their lawful businesses and rest assured of the commitment of our government to your well-being and security.”

The National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje congratulated Okpebholo on his victory, saying “the triumph is a testament to the confidence the good people of Edo State have in the progressive vision and leadership of the President Bola Tinubu led APC administration.”

Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Edwin Olofu in a statement, said: “Ganduje expressed confidence that with Senator Okpebholo’s leadership, Edo State is poised to witness unprecedented growth, peace, and development that will transform the lives of its citizens.

APDP campaign council kicks over results, alleges collation interruption

After results from 12 LGAs were announced, the Chairman of the National Campaign Council of the PDP for the Edo State governorship election and Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, yesterday morning, demanded the restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and the rules spelled out by the INEC.

Warning that “any other illegal and unlawful action going forward will be a violation of the will of the people and an abuse of the Electoral Act 2022,” he said: The collation process was violently interrupted in several local government areas across the State. In Edo South, local government collation processes were stopped in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor and moved illegally to the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Benin on the instructions of an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in complete breach of the statutory collation process

“Affected party agents and representatives were then ordered to converge on the INEC State Headquarters in Aduwawa, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area for the completion of the collation exercise. Upon arrival, agents of the PDP were not allowed into INEC State Office for the exercise.

“On the other hand, agents of the APC were allowed unfettered access into the INEC premises to participate in the collation process. This was also in breach of the Electoral Act section on neutrality as well as the rules and regulations published for these elections.

“At about 9pm senior party officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) accompanied by the police stormed the Etsako West Local Government collation center and began shooting indiscriminately.

“As a result of the attack, the council Vice Chairman, Benji Ojetu was left in critical condition from a shooting injury. Because of this assault, the expected results from Wards 7 and 11 were not delivered.

“At the INEC state office a 2km-long garrison barricade was created by the Police to cordon-off access, thereby restricting movement in the area.

“It took the protest of Governor Godwin Obaseki to make an entry into the State INEC office and register the displeasure of the PDP with the irregularities of the collation process.”

Fintiri added that if the alleged illegality was allowed to stand, it would be one of the worst elections in the history of democratic governance in Nigeria, alleging that the exercise was characterised by ‘massive vote writing’ and intimidation by security agencies.

Fintiri spoke on behalf of other PDP Governors while addressing journalists at the Edo Gubernatorial Election Situation Room located at the Government House, Benin City.

Governor Fintiri was flanked by the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori; Taraba State Governor, Kefas Agbu; Edo State PDP governorship candidate, Ighodalo, and the Director General of PDP Campaign Council in the State, Mathew Iduoriyekemwen.

PDP Governors reiterate commitment to democracy

Meanwhile, governors elected on the platform of the PDP have reiterated their commitment to fostering democratic governance in the face of Nigeria’s current economic and security challenges as well as the alleged threat posed by the President Bola Tinubu-led APC.

Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum (PDPGF), Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said this in a pre-official announcement of the Edo State Governorship election results by the INEC.

Mohammed said he and his colleagues had followed with keen interest developments in the Edo governorship election and wished to salute the good people of Edo State, for trooping out in their large numbers, to exercise their legitimate duty to choose the person who would govern the state for the next four years.

He noted that as PDP Governors, they have no doubt that given the laudable achievements of the exiting governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the qualities of the party’s governorship candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the enlightened Edo electorate would have had no difficulty in making the right choice, particularly given the hardship that the APC Administration is spreading nationwide.

The PDP Governors however said, “ As the process runs its course, we wish to remind the Independent National Electoral Commission of the need to live up to the oath of office of the Commission’s principal officers and the expectations of the people, to serve as an impartial umpire committed to deepening our multi party democracy and the survival of our country.

“As the country perches on the horns of grave economic and security challenges, it is our expectation that INEC and everyone involved in the Edo Governorship Elections will respect the sovereign wishes of the people of Edo State and spare the nation the unpredictable consequences of a disputed result at this time.

“We stand with our Governors, Fintiri, Diri, Agbu Kefas and Oborevwori of Adamawa, Bayelsa, Taraba and Delta states respectively, on all the actions and positions that they have taken on our behalf, with respect to maintaining the sanctity of the elections.”

PDP backs Fintiri, insists Ighodalo won

Speaking on the issue, the PDP declared that it stands by the results of the Edo State Governorship election as garnered by its polling agents across the state and echoed by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

The party said the results so generated and collated by its agents indicated that the PDP candidate, Ighodalo, clearly won the election.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this in Abuja, yesterday.

This represents the party’s first public statement moments before the declaration of the election results by the INEC, which declared Okpebholo of the APC as winner.

Ologunagba said: “As Governor Fintiri presented, the results collated from the polling units have Asue Ighodalo in clear lead before the State collation exercise was hijacked by the APC which, in connivance with some unscrupulous INEC and security officials, engaged in blatant alteration and substitution of the genuine results with fabricated figures in favour of the defeated APC candidate.

“The PDP had on several occasions alerted Nigerians of this sinister plot by the APC which will be firmly resisted as the APC and its candidate Monday Okpebholo were thoroughly defeated in the election.

“The PDP in the strongest terms cautions the APC and INEC not to announce or declare any result that does not reflect the will of the people as expressed at the polling units. Such will be a recipe for a huge crisis in the state as the people of Edo State will never allow their mandate in illegitimate hands.

“Our Party again cautions INEC not to lose sight of the violent protest that trailed the criminal attempt by the former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Hudu Ari to alter the outcome of the 2023 Governorship election in that state which nearly led to the death of some INEC officials.

“Any attempt to change the results of the Edo State governorship election and allocate victory to a defeated candidate will provoke worse consequences. INEC must therefore do that which is right in the interest of peace, stability and sustenance of Democracy in Nigeria.”

PDP supporters protest alleged manipulation

Indeed, supporters of PDP protested against the collation of the Edo governorship election results in Benin, the state capital.

The demonstration took place near the headquarters of the INEC, where the results were being collated.

Earlier in the day, some PDP members gathered outside the collation centre, accusing INEC of manipulating the election outcome.

Police officers dispersed the protesters around 2:45 a.m using teargas canisters.

Tony Iyoha, a PDP agent at the collation centre, also alleged electoral fraud, claiming that some results were “manufactured.”

“It’s what we have been reduced to as Nigerians, where people go out to vote, and after exercising their franchise, you come out and manufacture results,” he said.

CSOs express concern, say collation disruptions affect result credibility

Some accredited civil society organizations monitoring the election, yesterday, expressed concern over transparency in the collation of the poll results.

The concerns were contained in a statement jointly signed by Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, ElectHER, TAF Africa, and the Centre For Democracy & Development, CDD West-Africa.

The statement read: “We, the undersigned accredited civil society organizations observing the 2024 Edo governorship elections, express concern over the transparency of the collation of the election results

“Reports of disruptions at ward and local government collation centres in Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor and Oredo LGAs, including intimidation of INEC officials and attempts to collate results contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, raise significant concerns about the credibility of the results collation process.

“We acknowledge INEC’s recent statement recognizing reports of result mutilation and its

commitment to investigate and remedy any proven violations.

“In view of this, we urge INEC to invoke its powers under Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022

to review any declarations and returns where results were not declared voluntarily or

violated provisions of the electoral act and INEC regulations and guidelines.”

The statement also called on security agencies not to interfere with the process, “We also call on security agencies to refrain from interference in the collation process and to ensure that accredited party agents, the media, and election observers are granted full access to collation centres.

“We wish to emphasize that the role of security agencies in the election is to safeguard the process and not to create a situation that will undermine the transparency of the process and thus impact negatively on the credibility of the outcome of the election.”

Major winners and losers

The declaration of Okpebholo as winner of the election has left a host of political actors in Edo as winners and losers of the tightly fought election.

Winners

The major winners include President Bola Tinubu, Okpebholo himself, who became a senator in his first attempt, a feat he repeated, yesterday, by becoming governor-elect.

Another major winner is Edo North Senator, and immediate past Edo Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who extracted his pound of flesh from his estranged successor, Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Oshiomhole was instrumental in the election of Obaseki in 2016 on the platform of the APC. However, when as APC national chairman, Oshiomhole ensured that Obaseki was denied the APC re-election ticket, the governor decamped to the PDP, got a ticket and eventually won his re-election. In the weekend’s election Oshiomhole fought hard to stop Obaseki from producing his successor and succeeded.

Tinubu to Okpebholo: It’s a call to service

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Senator Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Saturday’s Edo State governorship election, on his victory at the polls.

The President, in a statement his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga commended APC national leaders, Edo State leaders, and party governors for working hard to achieve the victory.

He said the victory testified to the people’s support for the ruling party, its progressive ideals, its economic re-engineering programme and its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.

He urged Senator Okpebholo not to gloat over his victory but to see it as a challenging call to service.

He encouraged him to demonstrate magnanimity by reaching out to his political rivals and uniting the people of Edo State to ensure its development.

President Tinubu also praised other candidates who participated in the election for their contributions to advancing Nigeria’s democracy, saying peaceful political contests, such as the one on Saturday, portray Nigeria as a stable democracy

The President urged all those aggrieved by the election outcome to seek redress through the legal channels.

According to Onanuga, the President commended the people of Edo State for their orderly and peaceful conduct during the election, underscoring the maturing of Nigeria’s democracy after 25 years.

“I commend the INEC and our security agencies for working round the clock to conduct a successful, peaceful and largely hitch-free exercise.

“INEC has once again demonstrated that it is committed to organising a free and fair election in our country”, the President said.

For me, it is a personal fulfilment— Oshiomhole

In his remarks, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said Edo State said the outcome of the election is a personal fulfilment adding that the governor-elect will now be governed by a combination of rich native wisdom.

He said: “Everything and anything that God cannot do, does not exist and that is when ordinary men think they have power, those with wisdom know that power resides with God; and only those who wield it on planet earth, wield with wisdom.

First, we give thanks to God that we did all those campaigns without causalities and without allegations that the candidate or anyone of us visited violence on anyone even when they killed his bodyguard to frighten him. My son whom I am pleased in will not be frightened.

So, tonight (yesterday night) it can only be joy and I give all the praises to God that he has made his son, who He has chosen to clean the mess of the Obaseki administration.

Edo will now be governed by a combination of native wisdom because the governor-elect is familiar with the customs and traditions of Edo State.

“For me, it is a personal fulfilment and to God be the glory.”