The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the judgment of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal as an absolute miscarriage of justice and a complete betrayal of the trust Nigerians, particularly the people of Edo State invested in the Election Tribunal.
The national publicity secretary of PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, insisted that the avalanche of evidence presented and duly admitted by the Tribunal, it was clear that its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo won the September 21, 2024 Edo State Governorship election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.
The Edo State chapter of the party and its candidate, in the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, also rejected the tribunal verdict, describing it as a “huge travesty of justice.”
The state party chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, in a statement said despite its respect for the Judgement it completely disagreed with the decision of the Tribunal and vowed to challenge the outcome at the court of Appeal.
“We believe without any doubt that our candidate, Asue Ighodalo in the election was duly elected by the majority of the voters in that election and are certain that we sufficiently proved our case before the Tribunal.
“It is on the back of this conviction that we call on our members to quickly rise up from the ashes of this temporary set back as we take our matter to the Appeal Court,
Ighodalo in a statement also expressed disagreement with the judgment but reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law and vowed to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
While urging his supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding, Ighodalo insisted that the struggle to reclaim what he described as the “people’s stolen mandate” was far from over.
“This is not the end of our journey, but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate freely conferred on my running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, and I on the platform of our great Party, the PDP,” he declared.
The PDP candidate maintained that the case was not about personal ambition but about upholding democratic principles and ensuring that Edo people’s votes count.
“I have instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal because this is about the very essence of democracy – the right of the people to freely choose their leaders,” he stated.
Ighodalo thanked his supporters for their unwavering belief in his vision for a prosperous Edo State and assured them of his determination to pursue justice to the end.
“We remain resolute. We remain committed. And we shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” he affirmed.
The tribunal had earlier dismissed the PDP’s petition, upholding the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election.
As the legal battle shifts to the appellate court, political observers anticipate heightened tensions, though Ighodalo has called for calm, urging Edo citizens to trust the judicial process.
