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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, have restated their commitment to appeal the 2 April decision of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.
The tribunal judgement upheld the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), in the election held on 21 September 2024 conducted by INEC.
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Mr Ighodalo was the candidate of the PDP in the election.
The PDP Chairman in Edo, Tony Aziegbemi, and Special Adviser on Media to Mr Ighodalo, Anthony Ehilebo, stated this on Sunday in Abuja after receiving the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the tribunal judgement.
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Mr Aziegbemi rejected the judgement, describing it as “a miscarriage of justice that ignored overwhelming facts, twisted the law, and rewarded impunity.”
According to him, having received and studied the certified true copy of the judgement, the petitioners say they are now even more convinced that the tribunal turned the law on its head to protect a rigged process.
“The tribunal abandoned its constitutional duty to deliver justice and instead constituted itself into a ‘fourth respondent,’ inventing technicalities to sidestep the clear evidence of electoral malpractice placed before it.
“We have studied the CTC of the judgement. This judgment, with due respect to the judges involved, is a travesty.
“We are not deterred. We are proceeding to the Court of Appeal with the facts, the law, and the will of the Edo people firmly on our side,” Mr Aziegbemi said.
Also speaking, Mr Ehilebo said the public did not grasp the gravity of what happened in the governorship poll.
He alleged that “INEC failed to fill forms essential for guaranteeing the integrity of the elections, a responsibility the Supreme Court has said is a strict liability issue.”
According to him, that is what the tribunal has now endorsed.
“We are duty-bound to challenge this travesty at the appellate court,” he said.
A PDP chieftain, Goodluck Osaretin, said despite the tribunal’s ruling, the party maintained that “the mandate of the people remains with Asue Ighodalo.”
He said Governor Monday Okpebholo extended an olive branch to Mr Ighodalo, calling on him “to join hands in unity and to work together for the progress of Edo State.”
“The PDP remains unmoved. The issue of an olive branch is premature.
“We are talking about retrieving a stolen mandate. Asue is coming,” Osaretin said.
He said no tribunal could stop the will of the people. (NAN)
