Edo Poll Could Be ‘Worst’ Election in Nigeria’s History, Says PDP Candidate Asue Ighodalo

Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Edo State governorship election, has raised concerns over the conduct of the polls, describing them as potentially the “worst election in the history of this country.”

During a press briefing at the PDP Situation Room in Benin City, the Edo State capital, Ighodalo claimed that PDP agents were barred from entering the collation centre, a move he says undermines Nigeria’s democratic process.

“From our perspective, the way these elections are going, they’re probably going to be the worst elections in the history of this country,” Ighodalo remarked, adding that his party had observed several irregularities across multiple polling units.

According to the PDP flagbearer, in over 20 polling units, the total votes announced exceeded the number of accredited voters, which he said was impossible. “We have over 20 polling units from the results that were announced yesterday where the total votes are more than the accredited voters,” Ighodalo stated.

‘Totally Unacceptable’

Ighodalo called the situation “totally unacceptable,” accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of tampering with the results and attempting to disenfranchise PDP agents. He further alleged that APC thugs, with the support of individuals dressed as security agents, disrupted the voting process in various areas.

“There’s a result-writing scheme going on, and it’s totally unacceptable. At every point, you find APC and their thugs, supported by people dressed as security agents, going to shoot at polling agents and disrupt processes,” he claimed.

The PDP candidate expressed frustration with the security lapses, arguing that such incidents should not occur in 21st-century Nigeria. “This is not acceptable in the 21st century. Definitely not in Nigeria. I think we’ve gone way past this,” he concluded.

INEC Responds

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier dismissed similar concerns from the PDP, urging calm and reiterating its commitment to a transparent electoral process. However, Ighodalo’s claims have raised further questions about the integrity of the election.