A top official of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has claimed that many residents are threatening to destroy their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in protest of alleged irregularities in the 2024 governorship election. This comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the off-cycle election held on 21 September.
INEC announced that Mr. Okpebholo won with 291,667 votes, defeating the PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. However, the PDP and its candidate have since rejected the results, accusing the electoral body of manipulating the outcome in favor of the APC.
In an interview on Wednesday night, the PDP State Collation agent, Tony Iyoha, revealed that many Edo residents were disillusioned by the election’s result and were contemplating destroying their PVCs. He attributed this to what he described as a repeated pattern of electoral malpractice.
“I have traveled across the state since the results were declared. A lot of people are threatening to destroy their voter cards,” said Mr. Iyoha. “This means they won’t vote anymore. They saw it happen in 2023, and now again in 2024,” he added, referring to previous claims of irregularities in past elections.
Iyoha also expressed the frustration felt by many in Edo, pointing out that the post-election atmosphere was far from celebratory. “The people are not celebrating the outcome of the election. If you win a prize, people are expected to celebrate,” he explained. “But it is only those who will benefit directly, like party members, that are celebrating behind closed doors. They cannot come out and celebrate openly because they know they didn’t win fairly.”
Following the announcement of the election results, several PDP supporters, accompanied by party leaders, organized a peaceful protest at the INEC office in Benin, the state capital. The demonstration was aimed at expressing their dissatisfaction with the declared results.
When asked whether the protesters expected INEC to reverse the announced outcome, Mr. Iyoha clarified that the protest was a means for the supporters to express their anger and frustration over what they believed was an unjust election process. “You don’t beat a child and expect the child not to cry,” he said. “People are venting their anger. They have every right to protest under the Nigerian Constitution.”
As for the next steps, Iyoha mentioned that the PDP was preparing to challenge the election results in court. “Whether INEC decides to do the right thing or not, I don’t know,” he said. “But the next step is the judicial process. We are going to court to challenge the result.”
The 2024 governorship election in Edo has become a contentious issue, with accusations of rigging, manipulation, and disenfranchisement swirling around the political landscape. While INEC has declared a winner, the lingering discontent among residents and opposition parties has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the democratic process in the state.
As the PDP takes its battle to the courts, the situation remains tense, with many residents, particularly those aligned with the opposition, feeling that their votes were disregarded. The potential destruction of PVCs among disillusioned voters further highlights the depth of frustration, signaling a growing distrust in the electoral process. Whether the courts will be able to resolve the issue and restore public confidence remains to be seen.
