Dr. Bright Enabulele, the Accord Party candidate in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, has filed a challenge with the state election tribunal regarding the election process that led to Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) being declared Governor-elect.
Enabulele alleges that the election was marred by malpractices and fraud orchestrated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and he is seeking to be declared the rightful winner.
He specifically pointed to irregularities in Ward 5 at St. Saviour Ivbiyeneva Primary School unit 1 in the Ikpoba/Okha local government area, where he reported casting his vote but receiving an official tally of zero votes.
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Speaking to journalists in Benin City after his counsel submitted his petition to the election tribunal, Enabulele said, his prayers to the tribunal was to declare him as the winner of the election or cancel the entire exercise, adding, “There was fraud, intimidation, and deliberate announcement of wrong results by INEC”.
Enabulele stated that his issue is not with the winner of the election, but with the process that led to the declared victory. He emphasized that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was designed to minimize human interference but alleged that it had been manipulated.
He also criticized the court order obtained by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asserting that the BVAS should serve as evidence in court when the tribunal begins its proceedings.
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He said, “The case is against two parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who conducted the election and the APC candidate (Monday Okpebholo) that they declared winner. The reason for the challenge is due to non-compliance with the electoral process. My mandate was stolen, there was fraud, intimidation and deliberate announcement of wrong results.
“Nigeria is a country governed by rule of law. I have been crying many days now due to the outcome of the election. We cannot continue to rely on human interference. The BVAS was made to reduce human interference, but the BVAS was manipulated, there was manipulation at the collation process. Many agents were intimidated to sign wrong results.”
Continuing, he said. “We are telling Nigerians that the most important thing is how our leaders emerge. If the process is wrong, then we can never get it right. I am not against the winner of the election, but against how the winner emerged, if somebody wins let him win correctly; if he loses, let him lose correctly.
“We cannot allow people’s votes to be stolen, it doesn’t matter whether it was 100 or 200. For me, my mandate was stolen. They should declare me winner or cancel the election.
“I was told that PDP obtained court order to inspect BVAS, for me again, it is wrong. Nobody should be given access to the BVAS, because it is supposed to serve as evidence in the court. You cannot go to court without evidence. It is not about winning or losing, but that the will of the people should stand. Democracy is about the will of the people,” he said.
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