Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21 Edo Governorship Election, has refuted claims that his party participated in vote buying during the poll.
In an appearance on *Channels Television’s Politics Today*, Ighodalo stated that the PDP did not engage in any illicit electoral practices, alleging that it was the All Progressives Congress (APC) that offered money in exchange for votes. According to him, APC agents were handing out minted notes of N25,000, N30,000, and N50,000 per vote. He emphasized that the PDP focused on securing votes through genuine support from the people of Edo State.
“We didn’t even need to go and buy votes. The people of Edo State were solidly with us,” Ighodalo declared.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced APC candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo as the election winner, with 291,667 votes. Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes, has rejected the result, calling it a “stolen mandate” and pledging to challenge the outcome in court.
INEC’s National Commissioner for Edo State, Rhoda Gumus, presented Certificates of Return to Governor-Elect Okpebholo and his Deputy, Dennis Idahosa, on Thursday.
