Fintiri, PDP decry 'high rate of irregularities' in Edo governorship election, demand adherence to Electoral Act

The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council for the Edo State governorship election and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has called for the restoration of the collation process of results of yesterday’s governorship election in Edo State in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC rules and regulation for the election.

He made the call while briefing journalists on the developmnts in the Edo State governorship election held throughout the State yesterday, Saturday, September 21.

Fintiri, flanked by the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborovbwori, Keffas Agbu (Taraba) and the host Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, alleged that the election processes were violently interrupted in some places and the materials were taken to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s headquarters in Benin.

“The collation process was violently interrupted in several local government areas across the State. In Edo South, local government collation processes were stopped in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor and illegally moved to the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin City on the instructions of an Assistant Inspector General (AIG), in complete breach of the statutory collation process,” Fintiri alleged.

“Affected Party Agents and representatives were then ordered to converge on the INEC State Headquarters in Aduwawa, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area for the completion of the collation exercise.

“Upon arrival, agents of the PDP were not allowed into INEC State Office for the exercise. On the other hand, agents of the APC were allowed unfettered access into the INEC premises to participate in the collation process.

“This was also in breach of the Electoral Act section on neutrality as well as the rules and regulations published for these elections.

“At about 9pm senior party officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) accompanied by the police stormed the Etsako West Local Government collation center and began shooting indiscriminately.

“As a result of the attack the council Vice Chairman, Honorable Benji Ojetu was left in critical condition from a shooting injury. Because of this assault, the expected results from Wards 7 and 11 were not delivered.

“At the INEC state office a 2km-long garrison barricade was created by the Police to cordon-off access, thereby restricting movement in the area.

“It took the protest of Governor Godwin Obaseki to make an entry into the State INEC office and register the displeasure of the PDP with the irregularities of the collation process.”

Fintiri and the PDP, therefore, demanded for a restoration of the collation process in accordance with the Electoral Act and the INEC rules and regulation for the election, saying that “Any other illegal and unlawful actions going forward will be a violation of the will of the people and an abuse of the Electoral Act 2022.”