Fallout of Edo election: Ize-Iyamu abandons tribunal, to purse pre-election matters

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just concluded election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has said that he would not contest the outcome of the election, irrespective of the anomalies that characterised the poll.

Ize-Iyamu, however, hinted that that stance notwithstanding, he would continue with the two pre-election matters he instituted against the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who eventually won the September 19 governorship election.

Part of the reasons he adduced for not contesting the outcome of the election in the tribunal already set up for that purpose was to avoid tension in the state, just as he said he was deferring to advise of eminent personalities on the matter.

This was just as he said that contrary to orchestrated media reports that the election was free and fair, Ize-Iyamu insisted that the election was neither free nor fair as there were several episodes of violence, voter intimidation and falsification of results.

In a statement issued, on Monday, and endorsed by Prince John Mayaki, the director of Communication and Media
Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organization, the APC candidate decided to continue with the pre-election cases in full exercise of his legal rights, just as PDP has considered it a prerogative to also continue with the pre-election cases against him.

The governorship candidate, defended his resort to court, noting that elections are far more than actual voting, just as democracy includes more than just elections.

He said that the PDP and its flagbearers have continued to pursue several pre-election suits in various courts against the APC, all totalling 13 one of which came up in the High Court, Benin on October 2, days after the election.

He said: “On our part, we had filed two pre-election cases against the PDP and its flagbearer challenging their eligibility to contest the election. These are all lawful and integral parts of the electoral process in any democracy, which we must all respect and acknowledge as genuine democrats.

“The outcome of these pending cases have a direct effect on the election. Consequently, we have decided to continue with our pre-election cases in full exercise of our legal rights, just as our opponents have considered it their prerogative to also continue with their pre-election cases against us.”

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He said that there were unlawful cancellations of results particularly from Urhonigbe South and North in Orhiomwon, while results were falsified from many polling units in Ofunama in Ovia South West, and in parts of Ovia North East, Owan West, Oredo, Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Esan North East, Esan West, Esan South East, and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas.

He said that two persons were killed during the election, while gun-wielding thugs took over collation centres in many locations without the intervention of law-enforcement agents.

He remarked that there were also several cases of malfunctioning card readers, which disenfranchised duly registered voters, in addition to many cases of unregistered voters voting with pre-purchased voters’ cards not collected by their actual owners.

Notwithstanding, the malpractices, Ize-Iyamu said that he has however decided not to commence an election petition so as to avoid further tension in the state.

He stressed: “We are also mindful that the leadership of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and many well-placed individuals have made pronouncements endorsing the process, which we have chosen to respect.

“As law-abiding citizens, we must all continue to believe in the electoral process as an important part of the democratic system, as it remains the best method of choosing who leads the people, devoid of violence and avoidable acrimony.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE