The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has stated that its mandate was tolen in the recent governorship election held last Saturday.
At a press conference on Wednesday in Benin City, Olu Martins, the deputy director general of the Asue-Ogie Governorship Campaign Council, asserted that the party was already celebrating its victory before the election results were altered.
Martins stated that, based on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) release of 95% of the election results, the PDP was leading with a margin of over 45,000 votes.
“We were already jubilating because by the time the result of the election got to 95 per cent, you know where you have won or not,” he said.
He noted that even if the remaining 5% favoured the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP would have emerged victorious.
However, Martins claimed that upon reaching the collation centre, the atmosphere changed drastically as police allegedly warned party agents to leave.
He described the electoral contest as one not merely between the PDP and APC, but rather a battle against the Nigeria Police and INEC, which he accused of colluding to undermine the democratic process.
“APC is not celebrating their ‘illegal mandate,” he stated, calling it “the worst election INEC has ever conducted in Nigeria.”