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PDP rejects outcome of Edo election, vows to reclaim mandate

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6 months ago

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the outcome of the Saturday Edo governorship election, saying it will use every legal means to reclaim it mandate.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Saturday Edo governorship election.

The PDP acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum stated this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the party was firmed to retrieve the mandate with every means legal and available in a democracy.

Damagum said in spite of the intimidation and manipulations, results obtained from the polling units showed that PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo clearly won the election before the figures were allegedly altered.

“The PDP therefore unequivocally rejects the final result of the Edo governorship election as declared by INEC.

“The election did not meet the minimum standard for democracy having not reflected the expressed will and aspiration of the people in line with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines for State Governorship election,” he said.

Damagum called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to within the time stipulated by Section 65 of the Electoral Act, 2022 review the Edo governorship election.

Damagum also called on INEC to announce results only as obtained from the genuine votes cast at the Polling Units (PUs).

“The PDP calls on all Nigerians and lovers of democracy all over the world to stand up in solidarity with the people of Edo in rejecting this assault on the democratic rights of the people.

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“The people of Edo clearly chose Asue Ighodalo as the next Governor of their state and only their will as expressed at the PUs must be allowed to stand.

“The PDP charges the people of Edo to remain resolute and undeterred as our Party takes firm steps to retrieve the mandate with every means legal and available in a democracy,” he said.

Damagum said that from unfolding political events, the latest being the alleged rigging of the Saturday, election by the APC, it was clear that the Nigeria’s democracy was under threat.

Damagum alleged that the state election was compromised by the APC in collusion with unpatriotic security operatives and officials of INEC, in disregard of the law and people’s will.

He recalled that the PDP had on several occasions alerted of this sinister plot to subvert the election.

The chairman said that several demands by PDP for the redeployment of those officials as well as the release of all arrested PDP members and supporters fell on deaf.

Damagum said that the action validated PDP’s suspicion of a top-level conspiracy to rig the Edo State governorship election.

He said that the PDP shall still put to test once again the level of the preparedness of the judiciary to do justice where it is required.

“So we cannot overrule a situation whereby justice will be dispensed, but the most important thing is that we shall put them to more scrutiny before the eyes of Nigerians.

“It is said that when the judicial system does now work, then you don’t have a country,” he said.(NAN)

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Politics

Court Restrains INEC From Receiving Petition To Recall Natasha Akpoti

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3 hours ago

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March 22, 2025

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The federal high court in Lokoja has granted an interim injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting on petitions to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator.

The court granted the order on Thursday following an ex-parte application for an interim injunction, supported by an “affidavit of extreme urgency”.

On Wednesday, videos circulating on social media appeared to show constituents signing documents as part of the recall process. A source in Kogi had confirmed that efforts to recall the senator were underway.

Court documents seen by TheCable showed that the application was filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other registered voters from Kogi central. They were represented by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co.

The court order prohibits INEC and its representatives from accepting or acting on petitions linked to the recall, which the applicants claim contain fictitious signatures.

The order also bars the electoral commission from conducting a referendum on the matter until the substantive case is resolved.

“That an interim injunction is granted restraining the defendant, staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting in any way whatsoever on any purported petitions submitted to the defendant by any person or persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of the said district and conducting any referendum to initiate a recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as senator pending the determination of the motion,” the order reads.

The order of the court and the motion on notice are to be served on the defendant (INEC).

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Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a seating arrangement dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She had earlier accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.

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Tranquility in Rivers is National Assembly’s overall interest – Deputy spokesman

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19 hours ago

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March 21, 2025

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The Deputy spokesman for the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese (APC-Benue) says the overall interest of the National Assembly is the restoration of tranquility and order in Rivers.

Agbese said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, after the National Assembly ratified the emergency rule declared on Rivers by President Bola Tinubu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Tinubu suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Gov. Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers House of Assembly for six months and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as sole administrator.

NAN also recalls that the emergency rule was declared following the lingering political face-off between Fubara and the state assembly, and subsequent threats of violence and protests by some stakeholders in the state.

According to the deputy spokesman, peace and order in the entire country is what is needed to allow good governance to thrive.

Agbese said the national assembly is a “micro-Nigeria” and it will always do its best to ensure peace in the land.

“We cannot deny that the challenges in Rivers need to be fixed; in his wisdom, Mr President intervened and sought the approval of the national assembly to ratify his declaration,” he said.

The deputy spokesman said the house, however, made some amendments to the proclamation, expressing hope that the move would restore peace between both warring parties.

The rep said t the house recommended a committee of eminent Nigerians to mediate between both parties with the view to restoring tranquility.

He said the house also recommended that the emergency rule should be lifted as soon as peace is restored before the expiration of six months.

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Agbese urged Nigerians to support the national assembly as well as President Tinubu in finding a lasting solution to the crisis in Rivers. (NAN)

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PDP denies defection of elected LG chairmen to APC in Edo

Published

2 days ago

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March 20, 2025

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The Edo Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said all its 18 democratically elected chairmen are with the PDP contrary to reports that they have defected to the APC.

Publicity Secretary of Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Chris Nehikhare, said on Thursday in Benin City that those claimed to have defected were not local government chairmen but impostors.

According to Nehikhare, those who defected are impostors because all duly elected chairmen under PDP are still PDP members.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Fred Itua said on Wednesday that 17 out of the 18 local government chairmen had defected from PDP to APC.

The statement also quoted Gov. Monday Okpebholo as predicting that President Bola Tinubu would win the 2027 election with a landslide.

However, Nehikhare dismissed the defection claim as misleading and clarified that no PDP chairman had defected, adding that all PDP chairmen were still with the PDP.

Nehikhare criticized report as unfortunate, stating that it was an attempt to deceive the public and maintain control within the party.

He said, “To set the record straight, contrary to the misleading claim made in the statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, no single chairman of the PDP has decamped.

“All duly elected local government chairmen under the PDP in Edo are fully intact. See attached photo.

“The people whom they referred to as ‘chairmen’ in the press statement are the illegal appointees whom they are trying to impose on the various local government areas.

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” it is quite unfortunate that the situation has degenerated into the point where APC assemble impostors while trying to assure the president and their party leadership that they are in control.

“Whoever they are trying to deceive or impress should be wary as there have been no political gains as was incorrectly portrayed in the misleading press statement.

“What happened in the festival hall of the Edo State Government House, can at best, be described as content creation for the viewing pleasure of the general public,” Nehikhare said. (NAN)

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