The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Obozuwa Josephine, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Presiding Officer for the Edo State governorship election.
The party alleges that Josephine fraudulently allocated 352 votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, despite only 213 voters being accredited.
In a statement released by PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba, the party expressed outrage over what it described as a “criminal” act of vote manipulation.
The reported results indicated that while 213 voters were accredited, Josephine’s tally included 352 votes for the APC, 52 for the PDP, and one for the Labour Party (LP), totaling 406 votes cast. This discrepancy has raised serious concerns about electoral integrity.
The PDP’s statement highlighted that such actions are reminiscent of previous electoral fraud cases, specifically referencing the conduct of former Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner Mallam Hudu Ari during the 2023 Governorship election.
The party warned that Josephine’s actions could lead to severe consequences, similar to those witnessed in past elections.
Furthermore, the PDP reiterated its claims that the APC has compromised INEC’s processes by placing its members in key positions to manipulate election results.
The party has called for immediate measures from INEC to address these alleged infractions, including canceling the election results from the affected polling unit.
In closing, the PDP commended the vigilance of Edo State residents and encouraged them to remain resilient as they monitor the electoral process.
