Benin City, Nigeria— The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the outcome of the August 16 by-elections, alleging that Nigeria’s democracy is under serious threat.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates, Hon. Omosede Igbinedion for Edo Central Senatorial District and Hon. Joe Ikpea for Ovia Federal Constituency, as winners of the polls.
Reacting in a statement issued on Sunday, Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, condemned the process, accusing INEC of deliberately excluding the PDP under the guise of technical failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
According to him, the alleged malfunction of BVAS was not accidental but “a premeditated act of sabotage” designed to manipulate the elections in favor of the APC. He insisted that BVAS is the most vital tool to ensure electoral credibility, yet INEC’s actions rendered the polls compromised and biased.
“We reject the results being circulated by INEC. This exercise is an embarrassment to democracy. Hiding under excuses of ‘glitches’ and ‘malfunctions’ only exposes INEC’s incompetence, lack of neutrality, and poor moral standing,” Nehikhare declared.
He further argued that in any responsible society, INEC’s management would have been dismissed and prosecuted for consistently compromising the electoral process.
Nehikhare emphasized that Nigerians deserve transparent, free, and fair elections rather than contests where outcomes are predetermined. He warned that unless the electoral body improves its preparedness and impartiality, democracy in Nigeria will continue to face severe threats.
By Makinde oyinkansola| August 17, 2025
Discover more from DnewsInfo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
