Leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Social gathering in Edo State, on Wednesday, marched to the workplace of the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee in Benin to protest in opposition to the result of the September 21 governorship election within the state.
INEC declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Monday Okpebholo, winner of the election.
The electoral physique stated Okpebholo polled 291,667 to defeat the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who polled 247,274 votes.
However the PDP has since rejected the ballot outcomes, which it alleged had been manipulated.
On Wednesday, PDP members and leaders took to the streets of Benin bearing banners with inscriptions equivalent to “INEC sack Edo REC”; “INEC give us our mandate,” amongst others.
A few of them had been heard chanting:“Oshiomhole, Tinubu give us our mandate.”
Nevertheless, safety businesses had been on guard to make sure the protesters didn’t get too near INEC workplace at Aduwawa, Benin.
However the Publicity Secretary of the Edo APC, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie,in an interview with our correspondent, mocked the PDP, saying no quantity of protest may change the result of the ballot.
“The PDP can protest as a lot as they need however that can’t change the results of the election. They’ll solely method the tribunal with proof in the event that they assume their mandate has been taken from them.
“Edo individuals, who don’t want the continuation of a PDP authorities handed a referendum with their voter playing cards and gave the APC the mandate to control the state as from November 12.
“It isn’t about calling on President Bola Tinubu and Senator Adams Oshiomhole to present their mandate again to them. The gents don’t have anything to do with their mandate. They’ll method the tribunal to ventilate their grievances,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie.
Monday’s protest by the PDP was led by the Cchairman of the Edo State chapter of the celebration, Tony Aziegbemi; the Director Normal of the Asue/Ogie Marketing campaign Administration Council, Mathew Iduoriyekewen; and the Deputy Director Normal (Media and Publicity), Olu Martins.
Addressing the protesters, Aziegbemi known as on INEC to declare Ighodalo the winner of the election, alleging that INEC manipulated the outcomes of a number of the native authorities areas.
He stated: “We thanks all for popping out at present on a journey to reclaim the mandate taken away from us.
“If we had misplaced this election in a free and truthful contest, we might have congratulated them however, as a result of they stole our mandate, we will’t congratulate them.
“Go and sleep, as we’re going to reclaim the mandate stolen from us. We’re calling on the judiciary to take a look at our submission and be truthful of their judgement. That is Nigeria and we will’t be robbed of our victory as we’re positive of reclaiming our stolen mandate as we’ll current overwhelming proof.
“We’re positive that we are going to get well our mandate because the preliminary evaluation now we have executed reveals that this election was received clearly by Ighodalo. We’ll current the case to the tribunal.
“We consider that the tribunal is made up of women and men of integrity; they are going to have a look at the proof earlier than them and conclude that PDP received the election. We’re going to the tribunal with an open thoughts.
“PDP is a really peaceable celebration, because it all the time preaches peace, and all alongside our protest, it has been violence-free and it’ll proceed to be so.”
Talking in the identical vein, Iduoriyekewen stated the PDP received the election and would proceed the protest till the mandate is given Ighodalo.
Reacting, the state publicity secretary of the APC, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, stated no quantity of protest would change the results of the election, urging the PDP to method the tribunal if they’ve convincing proof.
