The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Governors’ Forum have thrown their support behind Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, who chairs the Edo State Governorship Election National Campaign Council.
On Sunday, Fintiri declared that PDP candidate Dr. Asue Ighodalo had secured victory in the Edo State governorship election, citing polling unit results. Governor Fintiri criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of violating the Electoral Act. Meanwhile, Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) currently leads in the ongoing collation of results, with Ighodalo close behind.
In a statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, Fintiri’s claims were supported, pointing to polling unit results which reportedly showed Ighodalo leading before the APC, in alleged collusion with some INEC and security officials, manipulated the process to favour Okpebholo.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stands by the results of the Edo State governorship election as garnered by its polling agents across the state and echoed by the Chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State which indicate that the PDP candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, clearly won the election,” Ologunagba stated.
The PDP condemned the alleged interference in the results and warned INEC against announcing any outcome that does not reflect the “true will of the people”. The party urged the commission to avoid sparking unrest by declaring falsified results, drawing parallels with the violent protests following the disputed Adamawa election in 2023.
The PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, also expressed pride in the high turnout of Edo voters and reaffirmed Fintiri’s declaration of Ighodalo’s victory. They stressed that the results shared were those already collated from several local government areas and posted on INEC’s IREV portal, a move they claimed was meant to prevent electoral malpractice.
The forum urged INEC to uphold the people’s choice by announcing results that accurately represent votes cast in the election, reminding the commission of its duty to act impartially.