Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Edo governorship election, has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, describing it as potentially the “worst election in the history of this country.”
During a press conference held at the PDP Situation Room in Benin City, Ighodalo accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of widespread irregularities, particularly citing instances where PDP agents were denied access to collation centers. He argued that this undermines the democratic process and called it a major setback for the country’s democracy.
Ighodalo highlighted a troubling pattern of discrepancies, particularly in over 20 polling units where the total votes exceeded the number of accredited voters. He asserted that such occurrences were impossible and indicated a deliberate attempt to manipulate results. “There’s a result writing scheme going on, and it’s totally unacceptable,” Ighodalo stated.
Additionally, Ighodalo accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of colluding with security personnel to disrupt the voting process in several areas. He condemned the violence and intimidation tactics used by APC thugs, allegedly supported by individuals dressed as security agents, which he said were intended to disenfranchise PDP voters.
Ighodalo, alongside Governor Umaru Fintiri, who heads the PDP’s campaign for the election, called the situation a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic progress. He emphasized that such actions are “unacceptable” and urged that the integrity of the election be restored.
