THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has rejected the verdict of the election tribunal, which upheld the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
In a statement issued late on Wednesday, April 2, Ighodalo vowed to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, had on Wednesday dismissed the petition filed by Ighodalo and the PDP, ruling that the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.
The three-member panel, led by a justice, Wilfred Kpochi, unanimously held that there was no justification for overturning the result of the poll.
Following the judgement, Ighodalo announced his intention to seek redress at the Court of Appeal.
He emphasised that his legal battle was not for personal gain but a fight for democracy and the right of the people of Edo State to elect their leaders freely.
“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a huge travesty of justice.
“This is not about me or any single individual; it is about the very essence of democracy, the preservation of our collective right to freely determine our future, and the legacy we leave for generations unborn,” he said in a statement.
Ighodalo urged his supporters and PDP faithful to remain calm and law-abiding as they continue their pursuit of justice through legal means.
He maintained that the verdict did not mark the end of their journey but rather the beginning of a more determined struggle for electoral justice.
“As an avowed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man, and I urge all of you, our dear good people of Edo State, to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding in the aftermath of this Judgement.
“However, let it be clear: this is not the end of our journey, but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate freely conferred on my running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie and I are on the platform of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
”While we all may not agree with the verdict, we, however, remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must remain the bedrock of our democracy. Our pursuit of justice in this regard is an affirmation of our firm belief that the right of the good people of Edo State to freely choose their leaders through a credible, free and fair electoral process must never be compromised,” he added.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the September 21, 2024, governorship election.
He secured 291,667 votes against Ighodalo’s 247,655 votes.
But dissatisfied with the outcome, the PDP and its candidate filed a petition challenging the process, arguing that the election was not conducted in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M