The Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s senatorial and House of Representatives by-elections, describing the exercise as a betrayal of Nigeria’s democracy.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Sunday, August 17, declared All Progressives Congress candidates victorious, with Joseph Ikpea winning the Edo Central senatorial seat and Omosede Igbinedion taking the Ovia Federal Constituency.
In a strongly worded statement, Chris Nehikhare, Elections Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, said the party would not accept the results being circulated by INEC, insisting the polls lacked credibility.
He argued that the electoral body had no excuse for what it called “glitches” and “malfunctions,” accusing it of hiding behind technical failures to mask deliberate sabotage.
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“The BVAS is the single most important tool that guarantees the credibility of elections in Nigeria,” Nehikhare said.
“What we witnessed was not a technical failure but a deliberate sabotage by INEC to provide room for manipulation in cohort with APC, and creates an unfair advantage for the APC and renders the entire process compromised.
“In any responsible society, the management of INEC would by now have been sacked and prosecuted for repeatedly compromising the electoral process.
“Nigerians deserve elections that are free, fair, and credible and not exercises where the outcome is predetermined.
“Until our elections are adequately prepared for and conducted transparently, democracy in Nigeria will remain under siege,” he added.