The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced its plan to provide the Peoples Democratic Party with the necessary electoral materials for the upcoming Edo State governorship election on September 21. The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Edo State, Dr. Augbum Onuoha, confirmed this in an interview. The PDP had raised concerns about possible delays in receiving the materials, alleging that INEC might manipulate them to conceal election rigging. However, the REC assured that the PDP would have access to the materials as scheduled.
Following the declaration of the APC candidate as the winner of the election, the PDP and its candidate raised objections and expressed intentions to challenge the outcome in court. They obtained a court order to inspect the electoral materials, but they claimed that INEC was not granting them access as required by the court order. The PDP’s legal team made efforts to access the materials but faced refusal from INEC officials.
In response to the situation, women affiliated with the Edo PDP staged a protest demanding the return of what they believed was their “stolen mandate.” The women, dressed in black and holding placards, expressed their disappointment and determination to continue protesting until their demands were met. They accused the opposing party of using unfair tactics during the election.
In contrast, the APC denied any involvement in the alleged obstruction of the PDP’s access to the electoral materials. They dismissed the accusations made by the PDP and emphasized that the election had been conducted fairly, resulting in their victory. The APC urged Nigerians to disregard the claims made by the PDP and assured that they had no role in the legal challenges faced by the opposition party.