Omo-Agege, Delta APC reject gov election result, vow to challenge process in court

The Delta All Progressives Congress, (APC), Campaign Council has rejected the result of the Delta State gubernatorial election held on 18 March, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a statement by its Director, Communications and Media Strategy, Ima Niboro, the Council dismissed the result declared by INEC as a pyrrhic victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which will be overturned by the sheer weight of evidence against it.

The candidate of the PDP, Sheriff Oborevwori, was on Monday, declared winner of the election by INEC.

Mr Oborevwori polled a total of 360,234 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Ovie Omo-Agege of the APC who scored 240,229 votes.

The APC campaign council said it has evidence that the process was characterised by irregularities and that the people of the state were denied the right to freely expressed their will.

“We have an entire arsenal of evidence showing the disenfranchisement of the people, non use of, and tampering with BVAS machines, declaring double results at polling units, issuing of fake result sheets to agents and uploading cooked up results into the BVAS.

“We also have evidence of widespread vote suppression, voter intimidation, thuggery and violence against our supporters. The PDP was at its worst during the election: wickedly denying the people of their will freely expressed at the polls.

“Look at the streets of Delta today. It is gloom everywhere. Our people are wearing long, mournful faces. No sign of jubilation anywhere. Our streets would have been throbbing with life, song and dance, were this the will of the people. This rape of the will of the people will not stand. It must not be allowed to stand,” It said.

The APC called on its members in the state to remain calm.

“We call on our party faithful and supporters to remain calm. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning,” it said.

In a separate statement by his media aide, Sunny Areh, Mr Omo-Agege, who is also the deputy senate president, rejected the result.

It said Mr Oborevwori was declared winner despite the myriad of infractions and acts of impunity the PDP perpetrated during the poll.

The statement said, “A while ago, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State announced Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, gubernatorial flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the governor-elect following the March 18 governorship election.

“The declaration was made despite the myriad of infractions and acts of impunity on the part of the PDP in the course of the election. These were brought to the attention of INEC with incontrovertible proof.

“The March 18 election was characterised by massive fraud, unprecedented vote buying and voter suppression perpetrated by the PDP in the course of the election.

“The fraudulent nature of PDP’s so-called victory are just too damning and daring for it to be acceptable in any decent society. Most of those infractions are on the public domain and known to INEC officials and the security agencies involved in superintending the election.”

The statement said in the 25 February presidential and National Assembly elections, the results pointed to an unequivocal rejection of the PDP.

It noted that of the three senatorial zones in the state, APC won two while PDP controversially edged out the Labour Party in the Delta North Senate race.

It said it was an unadulterated verdict of Deltans on how they have fared under 24 years of governance of their state by PDP.

READ ALSO: APC’s Umar Bago wins Niger governorship election

“On the basis of the factors listed and more that will come later, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, governorship candidate of the APC in Delta State as well as the leadership of the party, unequivocally reject the declaration by INEC of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori of the PDP as winner of the March 18 governorship election,” the statement said.

“We will challenge this fraudulent result using all legal means.

“As a democrat and Deputy President of the Senate, Omo-Agege will explore all lawful avenues to reclaim the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Delta State.

“To the numerous supporters of APC and the entire public that share in Omo-Agege’s vision of building a new Delta State, we urge you all to remain calm, peaceful and law abiding.

“I can assure all our teeming supporters and all Deltans that the PDP pyrrhic celebration of a stolen mandate will be short-lived.

“By the grace of God and the clearly expressed wish of the people, this electoral heist will be reversed and Senator Omo-Agege will be sworn in on May 29, 2023 as the lawfully elected Governor of Delta State.”