PDP Governorship Candidate Ighodalo Protests at Edo INEC HQ, Accuses INEC and Police of Complicity in Election Subversion

Edo State governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, led a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Benin City, accusing both and the police of conspiring to subvert the will of the people in the ongoing election.

Tensions escalated after the collation of results for Oredo Local Government was abruptly relocated to the INEC state headquarters, following concerns of potential violence raised by the local collation officer.

However, Mr Ighodalo and his party raised suspicions over the move, claiming it was part of a plot to compromise the election.

The problem is our agents started telling us that they’re not being allowed into INEC headquarters, Ighodalo stated. There are too many funny things going on all of a sudden, and there seems to be INEC and police complicity working together. This cannot be right for democracy. They’re trying to subvert the will of the people of Edo state, and it will not happen, he said.

Party agents from the PDP were reportedly denied entry to the collation centre, heightening fears of election tampering.

Civil society group Yiaga Africa also criticised INEC’s decision, noting that moving local government collation to the state headquarters violated established electoral procedures.

The group urged INEC to resist any form of intimidation and ensure the integrity of the collation process.

Amid the protest, tensions flared as Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki held a four-hour closed-door meeting with top INEC officials and Deputy Inspector-General of Police Frank Mba, overseeing the election’s security.

In response, Dennis Idahosa, the APC’s deputy governorship candidate, led his protesters, demanding Obaseki to halt his meeting with the officials.

Meanwhile, the APC’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, accused Obaseki of resorting to thuggish behaviour to influence the electoral process.

The rising tension has led to INEC postponing the final collation of results until 11 a.m. on Sunday, as the political standoff between the PDP and APC intensified outside the commission’s headquarters.

The PDP has continued to insist that its agents face restricted access to the collation centre despite prior agreements.

Osarodion Ogie, PDP’s deputy governorship candidate, confirmed that while agents were eventually allowed into the collation room, their access remained controlled.

Ogie condemned the police’s actions, particularly their hostility towards media personnel covering the protests, including a threat to destroy a journalist’s camera.

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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