Edo guber: Tribunal ignoring overwhelming evidence worrisome — PDP

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the ruling of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, describing it as a miscarriage of justice and a betrayal of public trust.

The party expressed concerns over the tribunal’s decision to dismiss its petition despite what it described as overwhelming evidence of electoral malpractice in the 21 September 2024 governorship election.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP insisted that its candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, won the election with the highest number of valid votes but was denied victory through manipulations.

The tribunal, on 2 April 2025, dismissed Ighodalo’s petition seeking to nullify the 21 September 2024 governorship election over alleged irregularities.

“It is very disturbing that despite the overwhelming evidence and findings by the tribunal that the PDP was robbed of its clear victory through wrongful allocation of votes to the APC and the arbitrary cancellation of valid votes won by the PDP, the Election Tribunal contradicted itself by arriving at a conclusion that is at variance with its own findings,” the party stated.

The PDP further warned that the tribunal’s verdict poses a serious threat to Nigerians’ confidence in democracy and the electoral adjudication process.

It emphasised that democracy can only thrive when the rule of law is upheld and judicial decisions are based on facts, evidence, and due process.

“A tribunal of this nature must impartially apply the law and the body of evidence presented before it. Anything short of this undermines the democratic process and shakes the people’s faith in electoral justice,” the party added.

Reaffirming its confidence in the judiciary, the PDP announced that it will challenge the tribunal’s decision at the Court of Appeal, where it expects a more conscientious judicial review of the matter.

“Our party and candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, are proceeding to the Court of Appeal where we believe justice will be done, and the people of Edo State will have their mandate restored,” the statement read.

The PDP urged its supporters in Edo State to remain resolute and not lose faith in the judiciary and democracy. It assured them that the battle for justice was far from over and that the party would fight to reclaim the mandate freely given to Ighodalo.

In his reaction to the judgement earlier, Ighodalo rejected the ruling of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, describing it as a travesty of justice and vowing to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

In a statement issued shortly after the ruling, Ighodalo insisted that the people’s mandate had been compromised and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that justice prevails.

“While we all may not agree with the verdict, we 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 said.

Ighodalo, who ran alongside Barr Osarodion Ogie under the PDP platform, emphasised that the legal battle was not about personal ambition but about protecting democracy and the will of the people.

“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,” he stated, urging his supporters to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding.

He confirmed that he had already instructed his legal team to take the case to the Court of Appeal, stressing that the fight was about preserving the right of Edo people to freely determine their future.

Expressing gratitude to his supporters for their unwavering belief in his vision for a prosperous Edo State, Ighodalo reassured them that he remains resolute and committed to upholding the foundational values of democracy and justice.

“We shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” he declared.

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