By Aaior K. Comfort

Members and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State staged a protest on Wednesday at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin, contesting the outcome of the September 21 governorship election. The election results declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, with 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who received 247,274 votes.

The PDP has vehemently rejected the results, alleging manipulation by INEC. During the protest, demonstrators carried banners demanding the removal of the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and chanting slogans such as “INEC sack Edo REC” and “INEC give us our mandate.”

Security forces were deployed to maintain order and prevent the protesters from approaching the INEC office located at Aduwawa, Benin.

Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, the Publicity Secretary of the Edo APC, dismissed the PDP’s protests, stating that they would not alter the election results. “The PDP can protest as much as they want, but that cannot change the result of the election. If they believe their mandate has been taken from them, they can approach the tribunal with evidence,” Uwadiae-Igbinigie remarked.

He added that the people of Edo had expressed their desire for change through their votes, giving the APC the mandate to govern from November 12. “It’s not about calling on President Bola Tinubu or Senator Adams Oshiomhole to return their mandate. They should take their grievances to the tribunal,” he stated.

The protest was led by the Chairman of the Edo State PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, along with Mathew Iduoriyekewen, Director General of the Asue/Ogie Campaign Management Council, and Olu Martins, Deputy Director General (Media and Publicity). Aziegbemi addressed the crowd, asserting that they were on a mission to reclaim what he called a stolen mandate.

“We thank you all for coming out today to reclaim the mandate taken from us. If we had lost this election in a free and fair contest, we would have congratulated them, but because they stole our mandate, we can’t,” he declared. Aziegbemi urged the judiciary to examine their case with integrity, emphasizing their commitment to peaceful protest.

Iduoriyekewen echoed Aziegbemi’s sentiments, insisting that the PDP would continue their protests until Ighodalo was recognized as the rightful winner.

In response, Uwadiae-Igbinigie reiterated that protests would not affect the election outcome and encouraged the PDP to seek legal recourse if they had substantial evidence.