Edo Election Controversy: PDP Demands Arrest of INEC Officer

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Obozuwa Josephine, an INEC Presiding Officer, for allegedly manipulating election results in favor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) . According to the PDP, the election result sheet from Osholo Primary School Polling Unit in Weppa, Etsako East Local Government Area, shows a discrepancy between accredited voters and allocated votes.

Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, stated, “It is highly provocative that INEC PO Obozuwa Josephine could be so compromised to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC above the 213 voters officially accredited in that Polling Unit”. He compared this incident to the 2023 Adamawa State Governorship election, where similar actions led to violent protests and endangered INEC officials’ lives.

The PDP believes this is one of many cases of electoral fraud and manipulation by the APC and some INEC officials . They demand INEC’s immediate action, including Obozuwa’s prosecution, cancellation of the election in the affected polling unit, and addressing other similar infractions.

The party commended Edo State residents for their vigilance and urged them to remain resilient until the end . They also instructed their members to closely monitor the results from polling units to state collation centers to prevent manipulation .

INEC has responded to the allegations, promising to investigate and address any irregularities . The commission stated that they received two complaints out of 4,519 polling units regarding incorrect figures entered into polling unit result sheets .

The Edo State governorship election was largely peaceful, despite initial concerns about violence . The results are yet to be declared, with over 91% of polling units reporting .

As the investigation unfolds, the PDP cautioned the APC to respect the will of the Edo State people, expressed at the polling units . The party remains confident in their victory, urging supporters to remain vigilant and defend their votes