APC Rejects Edo Election Results Declared By INEC, To Announce Next Action Soon

Amid widespread congratulations for Governor Godwin Obaseki on his re-election victory at the September 19 governorship polls in the state, the All Progressive Congress (APC) has rejected the results declared by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The ruling party through John Mayaki, Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, in a statement on Sunday, claimed most of their members were arbitrarily arreste, while alleging that some of the figures of the result were fraudulently tampered with.

“Our people were arbitrarily arrested, many of the figures were fabricated,” said Mayaki.

“Areas where we won, they cancelled them. They decreased the votes in areas we had advantages. They rejected our results and jerked up theirs.”

Obaseki, after casting his ballot during the election on Saturday, had remarked that he was disappointed with the electoral umpire for its poor preparation for the polls.

But the APC Media Campaign Council Chairman alleged that the Governor had cried out in deceit to divert attention to enable him perpetrate his manipulations to secure victory at the polls.

“Obaseki shouted that he was being rigged out and blamed INEC at the initial stage, but that was to divert attention from the evil going on in the field,” he said.

“The Party also notes the arbitrary arrest of our local party members, who could have resisted the outrage, while Mr Obaseki was busy diverting attention with false alarm.

“There were obvious illicit tampering with results, to shore up PDP numbers and mark down that of our party. Areas where we won, they cancelled them. They decreased the votes in areas we had advantage; they rejected our results and jerked up theirs.

“The ‘strong arm’ tactics, as seen in the election, cannot slide. Our people were arbitrarily arrested, while many of the figures were fabricated.”

On his part, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC candidate in the polls, appreciated his supporters, adding that he was studying the result along with his party members and ‘will announce my next move soon’.