Barr. Aida Nath Ogwuche, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the recent elections, has challenged the results.
In a statement made on Thursday, the PDP candidate claimed that the proclamation of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Philip Agbese, as the election winner was not a representation of the genuine outcome of the poll, claiming that she is the true winner.
She claimed that the officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were bribed to work for the winning party, and that the election was plagued by “underage voting, repeated voting, over-voting, voter intimidation, bypass of BIVAS Machines, and cooperation with certain INEC workers.”
Aida, although thanking the people for their support, said that the mandate had been stolen and would be regained via the judiciary. She stated that her legal team was on track.
She pledged to go to court to regain her allegedly stolen mandate.
“It has certainly become vital that I make public my assessment of the outcome of the February 25th, 2023 elections for the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, in which I competed as the People’s Democratic Party Candidate,” the message continues (PDP).
“I have thoroughly analyzed the process and its associated evolving facts since the election’s conduct. I, too, have consulted persuasively and decided on a course of action.
“Given this backdrop, it is my strong conviction, giving the available facts and evidence that, the said election was plagued with anomalies and considerable non-compliance with the requirements of the Election Laws. I dare to state that I won the election, but the actions of desperate politicians conspiring with corrupt INEC officials reportedly tainted the outcome.
“This entitles me to seek legal redress and that is exactly what I have briefed my team of legal experts to do.
“I state without an iota of equivocation and circumlocution that there was in that election as substantiated by outcomes in many polling units, underage voting, multiple voting, over-voting, armed intimidation of voters and bypass of BIVAS Machines.
“These irregularities, which are clearly at variance and in rude violation of the tenets of the recently promulgate Electoral Act entitle me to seek adequate reliefs. A thing, I have set the legal machinery in place to achieve.
“I make bold to call on the law enforcement agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police whose primary responsibility it is to arrest, investigate and prosecute criminality associated with electoral processes to rise up to the occasion, hasten up investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.
“It is sad to note that some members of staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were engaged to undertake peaceful, unbiased and credible elections were part of an inordinate conspiracy to defeat the true essence of our electoral jurisprudence. Our team, being in possession of overwhelming evidence will proceed against them in accordance with the dictates of the law.
“Our mandate which has been temporarily stolen will be reclaimed by instrumentality of the law. We have confidence in the merit of our cause and we have confidence in the judiciary”.
