Edo Decides: PDP Supporters Protest at INEC Office Amid Election Dispute

As the people of Edo State await the final announcement of the governorship election results, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have staged a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin City, expressing discontent over the results released so far.

According to INEC’s results from 16 out of the 18 local government areas, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victory in 10, while the PDP won in six. This has sparked tension among PDP supporters, who gathered in front of the INEC office, chanting solidarity songs and waving leaves as a symbol of protest.

The protesters alleged that the results announced by INEC had been manipulated, claiming discrepancies between the official figures and those from their polling units. One of the demonstrators, identified as Frank, voiced concerns over potential tampering of results on the INEC portal.

“We will not allow anyone to distort the will of the Edo people,” Frank said. “The people voted for our candidate, Ighodalo, but some individuals are trying to use influence from higher authorities to alter the results. We won’t accept this.”

He further appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the situation and ensure the integrity of the election process. “We have the authentic results, and the ones being announced are different. We urge President Tinubu to step in before the situation escalates,” he added.

The protest comes as tensions rise, with fears that the ongoing controversy could lead to unrest in the state if the concerns of the PDP supporters are not addressed.