Kogi PDP Rejects Okura Constituency By-election Result, Demands Cancellation

The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the outcome of the August 16, 2025 by-election for the Okura State Constituency seat in Dekina Local Government Area, describing the process as “a travesty of democracy” and calling for its immediate cancellation.

In a statement signed by its state chairman, Enemona Anyebe, the PDP alleged that “no election took place in over 98% of the polling units across Okura Constituency,” insisting that the exercise was hijacked by officials of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) working with security agents, armed thugs, and some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the party, electoral materials were allegedly diverted to undisclosed locations in the early hours of election day.

“Our candidate, Hon. Meliga Godwin, confronted INEC officials in the field and was told that the Commission ‘had no security of its own’ to address the situation,” the statement read. “Even the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) admitted he was aware of the incident, said he had contacted the Commissioner of Police, and promised the matter would be resolved. Shockingly, despite this open admission of irregularities, INEC still went ahead to announce fraudulent results.”

The PDP questioned the figures announced by INEC, which declared 55,073 votes for the APC and 1,038 for the PDP.

“We ask a simple question: where did INEC and APC manufacture the so-called results from?” the party queried. It argued that in the 2023 general election, the APC was credited with 8,549 votes while PDP received 1,487 votes—a result it said was also disputed but “at least within a range of plausibility.”

The opposition further pointed out that the REC himself admitted on AIT News during election day that there was “low turnout of voters.” It wondered how INEC could then release results that were “six times higher” than the 2023 figures.

“This statistical impossibility exposes the scale of manipulation and fraud that took place,” the statement said.

The PDP therefore announced three resolutions which include; rejection of the results in their entirety, demand for immediate cancellation of the exercise and call for a fresh election conducted in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

The party stressed that its restraint in responding to the situation was not out of weakness but a commitment to peace.

“As a responsible political party, we believe no citizen’s blood should be shed for the sake of an election. However, democracy cannot survive where the people are denied their right to vote and electoral robbery is endorsed by the very institution entrusted to safeguard the process,” the PDP said.

It urged the INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to intervene, cancel the “charade,” and restore public confidence in the electoral process.

The PDP vowed to pursue the matter peacefully and lawfully “until justice is served.”