273
By Myke Agunwa, Abuja
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 2024 election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo has described the Judgement of the State Election Petitions Tribunal that upheld the election of Sen. Monday Okpebholo as validly elected governor of the state as a travesty of justice.
The PDP candidate in a statement on Wednesday announced his intention to seek further legal redress at the Court of Appeal.
While reiterating his confidence on the ability of the judiciary to dispense justice, he called on Edo residence to realize that “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.
“While we all may not agree with the verdict, we however remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must remain the bedrock of our democracy” he said.
Ighodalo who is also a lawyer said that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man, and urged the people of the State, to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding in the aftermath of this Judgement.
“Let it be clear: 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 freely conferred on my running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie and I on the platform of our great Party, the PDP.
“From the very beginning, your massive show of support, sincere love and belief in our shared vision for a prosperous Edo State have been the driving force behind this journey. For us, it has never been about the realisation of a personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear Pathway to Prosperity for all Edo People while upholding the foundational values of democracy, justice, and the will of the people.
“I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision which we consider a huge travesty of justice. This is not about me or any single individual; it is about the very essence of democracy, the preservation of our collective right to freely determine our future, and the legacy we leave for generations unborn” he said.
Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on September 22nd declared Okpebholo winner of the election after garnering a total of 291,667 votes, to beat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, who polled 247,655 votes.