The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the results announced by
\nthe Independent National Eclectoral Commission, INEC, at the just
\nconcluded Edo State Governorship election, describing it as fake and not a
\nreflection of results announced at various Units and Wards in the state.<\/p>\n
The party in a statement accused outgoing Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Firstly, we are in total amazement at the details of the results released<\/em> Our rejection of the results released by INEC so far is based on, but not<\/em> 1. We know that a fair turnout of voters was recorded statewide because<\/em> 2. Everything that has transpired had been carefully designed by the Adams<\/em> 3. Postings of Commissioners of Police and and removal of officers from<\/em> 4. Choice of collation from places they chose as well as the choice of the<\/em> 5. There are numerous accounts and records of Police harassment all over<\/em> 6. It is on record that the level of open financial inducements was<\/em> 7. Deliberate connivance with INEC staff to steal materials and results in<\/em> To put it mildly, Edo 2016 has turned out to be a travesty of our<\/em> A few days ago, we mentioned in a press statement, that Adams Oshiomole<\/em> The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has rejected the results announced by the Independent National Eclectoral Commission, INEC, at the just concluded Edo State Governorship election, describing it as fake and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nusing state apparatus to collude with INEC and Security agencies to rig
\nthe election in favor of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
\nSTATEMENT
\nThe PDP in Edo State, after carefully reviewing the events of yesterday<\/em>
\nSeptember 28th, 2016, totally rejects the purported outcome of the voting<\/em>
\nexercise and the results announced by INEC.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nby INEC because all of them are fake and not the figures announced at<\/em>
\nvarious units and as collated at various wards across the state. The fake<\/em>
\nresults announced by INEC are entirely a fabrication which do not reflect<\/em>
\nthe true picture of what transpired during the election. However, we are<\/em>
\nnot totally surprised because long before now, we had anticipated this and<\/em>
\nhad also warned INEC, security agencies and alerted Edo people at various<\/em>
\npress conferences and statements, on this situation.<\/em>
\n\u200e<\/em>
\nSecondly, based on the results emanating from across the state, PDP won<\/em>
\nthe election fair and square, and with a very comfortable margin. So it is<\/em>
\nwith disgust that we have been receiving fake results which were never<\/em>
\nrecorded in either the units or the ward<\/em>
\ncollation centers.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nlimited to, the following<\/em><\/p>\n
\nthe weather was very clement and voters were enthusiastic. However,<\/em>
\nunknown to unsuspecting Edo electorate, INEC had long provided the serial<\/em>
\nnumbers of all result sheets to Adams Oshiomole and his APC government, to<\/em>
\nprint fresh result sheets. This is not a mere allegation. From the benefit<\/em>
\nof hindsight, the 18day period of postponement of the election was to<\/em>
\nprovide enough time for the Governor and his government to print these<\/em>
\nresult sheets and perfect the writing of fake results at the units and at<\/em>
\nall levels of collation. This scenario is further buttressed by the fact<\/em>
\nthat on Monday September 26th, 2016, when election materials arrived from<\/em>
\nthe CBN at INEC state office for inspection, agents of the political<\/em>
\nparties including the APC and PDP were given pre-typed copies of the<\/em>
\nserial numbers of all result sheets and the ballot papers. This was a<\/em>
\nclear security breach and an infringement on the credibility of the<\/em>
\nprocess, as these are sensitive materials, which should not have been<\/em>
\nsighted even by INEC officers.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nOshiomole led Edo State government and their cohorts in INEC. They<\/em>
\nperfected a scheme to void thousands of ballot papers, to enable them<\/em>
\nperpetrate their devices. It is widely recorded that over 88% of the<\/em>
\nvoided ballots were PDP votes.<\/em><\/p>\n
\ntheir units, even during the voting exercise, was a clear plot to<\/em>
\ndestabilize the security apparatus in various LGAs and Senatorial<\/em>
\ndistricts. The same goes for the DSS personnel across<\/em>
\nthe state.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nstate returning officer, in the person of a close friend and associate of<\/em>
\nformer Governors Fayemi and Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State, who are top APC<\/em>
\nchieftains. They also prevented our agents in many cases from entering<\/em>
\ncollation centers.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nthe state, designed to strike fear in the hearts of PDP members, using men<\/em>
\nof the CIB (Criminal Investigation Department), SARS, MOPOL 60 Command,<\/em>
\nDSS and other security agencies. Of particular concern is the atrocious<\/em>
\ngangsterism demonstrated in Etsako West, the home of the incumbent APC<\/em>
\nGovernor and the deputy governor nominee, where many of our members and<\/em>
\nagents were assaulted, almost mortally, and some still being detained as<\/em>
\nwe speak. Those still detained include Michael Etu, Gabriel Etu and<\/em>
\nMohammed Sani. Also, a Honda Accord vehicle, with registration number FST<\/em>
\n868 BC, belonging to one of our stalwarts was destroyed, and is still<\/em>
\nlying at the voting center. There is also the widely reported and recorded<\/em>
\ncase of collation center disruption in Oredo local government, by the<\/em>
\nnotorious Osakpamwan Eriyo, who invaded the venue and released shots in<\/em>
\nthe air, chasing away supporters and people, before making away with the<\/em>
\nresults. This happened in the full glare of the Police, DSS, INEC and<\/em>
\nother security personnel. Interestingly, neither INEC nor the Police<\/em>
\nshowed any concern or any resistance, even as we speak.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nunprecedented and indigent voters were being offered between N2,000 and<\/em>
\nN5,000 to cast their votes, and also forced to display their ballot<\/em>
\nprints. Numerous videos were posted on social media showing APC members<\/em>
\nhanding out monies to voters, in the full glare of INEC and security<\/em>
\nofficers.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nvarious wards. We particularly take note of materials stolen at Ologbo,<\/em>
\nIkpoba Okha, Nikorogha, Ovia South West, Urhonigbe in Orhionmwon, Udaba in<\/em>
\nEtsako Central, Opoji in Esan Central<\/em>
\nand many others.<\/em><\/p>\n
\ndemocracy, and it is calamitous that in spite of all the atrocities<\/em>
\ncommitted by APC, nothing happened to thugs like Osakpamwan Eriyo who went<\/em>
\nto George Idah Primary school in Oredo Local government area, to snatch<\/em>
\nresults in the full glare of the Police, SSS and INEC officials. Shooting,<\/em>
\nchasing and scaring away voters, and even international observers, is<\/em>
\nnothing short of a bastardisation of our hard earned democracy.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nboasted openly, how he had prepared results already for the election,<\/em>
\nwhich will be announced, and PDP can go to court. It has been executed<\/em>
\ntoday, but the will of Edo people will never be subverted by Adams<\/em>
\nOshiomole and his cohorts. We will do everything within the law to claim<\/em>
\nour mandate. In the words of Plato, the penalty we pay for refusing to<\/em>
\nparticipate in politics, and to exercise our right, is that we end up<\/em>
\nbeing governed and oppressed by evil men. This impunity must end in Edo<\/em>
\nState!<\/em>
\nSigned
\nChris Osa Nehikhare
\nPublicity Secretary
\nPDP Edo State<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"