By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo, in the Saturday, September 21, 2024 governorship election held in Edo state has been announced winner by the Returning Officer, Professor Faruk Adamu Kuta.

According to the results from 18 local government areas (LGAs) announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes.

His closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), garnered 247,274votes.

Olumide Akpata, representing the Labour Party (LP), finished third, receiving a total of 22,763 votes.

Declaring the result, Professor Kuta, said: “Monday Okpebholo, having fulfilled the requirements of the law and got the highest votes is the winner and is returned elected”.

Details later.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa.

As the collation of the final results of the Edo State governorship continues, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the wish of the people.

Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, made the call in a statement on Sunday.

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,” he said.

“This becomes more imperative, especially in the face of the threat to democracy by the total state capture inclination of the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC government.”

PDP GOVERNORS’ FORUM:

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE 2024 EDO GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION

We have followed with keen interest developments in the Edo Governorship Elections and wish to state as follows;

We salute the good people of Edo State, the cradle of a proud Benin kingdom, 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.
We have no doubt that given the laudable achievements of the exiting governor, His Excellency Godwin Obaseki, and the qualities of our 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.
We note with immense pride and satisfaction, the role being played by the PDP Governors, His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, His Excellency Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas of Taraba State and His Excellency, the Rt. Hon. Sherif Francis Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State who have painstakingly monitored the exercise in accordance with the law and guided the electorate to remain calm and law abiding throughout the entire process.
We are satisfied that our colleagues as led by His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Fintiri simply stated the results of a few local government areas as were already collated and captured on the INEC IREV portal, with a view to forestalling any manipulation by unscrupulous elements and, ultimately, averting a situation that could throw the exercise into disrepute and the nation into political jeopardy. Therefore, the public is advised to disregard the mischievous accusation by the APC that anyone usurped INEC’s responsibility, let alone distinguished Nigerians who are governors in their respective states.
As the process runs its course, we wish to remind the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, 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.

6 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. This becomes more imperative, especially in the face of the threat to democracy by the total state capture inclination of the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress, APC government.
The PDPGF unequivocally reiterates its commitment to democratic best practices, and the peace and stability of a united Nigeria in which the citizens are not only spared the contrived ordeal of the moment but, more importantly, provided alternative opportunities to realise their legitimate dreams.
We look forward to the announcement of a result that truly represents the wishes of the Edo people as freely expressed through their votes yesterday
Finally, we stand with our Governors, H/E Fintiri, H/E Diri, H/E Agbu Kefas and H/E 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.

10. Thank you

Signed:

Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON

Executive Governor, Bauchi State & Chairman,

PDP Governors’ Forum.

Dated Sunday, September 22. 2024.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor of Adamawa, Ahmadu Fintiri, has alleged that agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Edo governorship election were denied access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office ahead of the commencement of collation on Saturday.

The governor, however, said agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were allowed “unfettered access to the INEC premises to participate in the collation process”.

Fintiri, who is chairman of the Edo PDP campaign council, spoke at a press conference in Benin, on Sunday.

He alleged that the collation was violently interrupted in some LGAs.

According to him, “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 (INEC) 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 Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area for the completion of the collation exercise.

“Upon arrival, agents of the PDP were not allowed into the 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.”

The Adamawa governor added that at about 9pm, “senior officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC), accompanied by the police, stormed the Etsako West LGA collation centre and began shooting indiscriminately”.

“As a result of the attack, the council vice chairman was left in a 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 barricade was created by the police to cordon off access, thereby restricting movement in the area”, he said.

Fintiri reeled out some local government results, emphasising that his announcement did not override the electoral umpire’s authority.

He added that the figures were those received from party agents.

“I did not announce results, I only informed the public of the exact figures from our collation agents that was ongoing before INEC disrupted the process… INEC should be accused of violating the Electoral Act, not me,” Fintiri said.

He said, “It took the protest of Governor Obaseki, who made an entry to the state INEC office and registered the displeasure of the PDP with the irregularities of the collation process, for things to move forward.

“We thereby demand a restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and the INEC rules and regulations for this election.

“Any other illegal and unlawful action going forward will be a violation of the will of the people and abuse of the Electoral Act.”