PDP to drag APC to court over Edo Election

The National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has decided to contest the result of the recently-concluded Edo governorship election in court.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the September 28 governorship election, Godwin Obaseki, winner  of the keenly-contested poll.

But the PDP’s decision to drag the APC to court over the election was taken at a meeting between the leadership of the party led by the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Sen Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, and its caucus of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Addressing reporters after the meeting yesterday, PDP spokesperson, Prince Dayo Adeyeye expressed optimism that the party would win at the court.

According to Adeyeye, “We discussed it. We know that we were we robbed in Edo State. We believe that we will have our day in court. And by the grace of God, we still have confidence in the judiciary. What happened in Edo State will not stand.

“The members of the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi came in here today to brief our National Assembly Caucus. The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives is here, the DSP was also here. We had very good representation at this meeting.

“Basically, it was to brief them on new developments in the party, particularly relating to the peace efforts that we are making in the party. We have to put them into confidence in some of the actions we have taken lately. And ask for their own contribution because after all they are major critical stakeholders. They put us there, we need to consult with them, we need to brief them on developments from time to time.

“And I’m happy to say that after the review of what has happened, we have come to the conclusion that the peace efforts already taken by the caretaker committee are in order. And the National Assembly Caucus have given full endorsement to all the efforts made so far by the National Caretaker Committee to reconcile all the aggrieved members of this great party.

On the crisis that has so far bedeviled the party, Adeyeye said, “We don’t have any faction in PDP. I’ve said some people are aggrieved. And we are trying to make peace with everybody. The PDP is one single body. 

In every party, you have people who could be aggrieved from time to time. And we are making efforts to reconcile everybody together. ”