The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has strongly criticized the outcome of the Edo State governorship election, describing it as a “rape on democracy.” The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, as the winner with 247,274 votes, defeating the PDP’s candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who polled 291,667 votes.

Agboola Ajayi, the PDP governorship candidate in Ondo, expressed his dissatisfaction with INEC’s handling of the election, claiming that Ighodalo was the true winner. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, Ajayi criticized INEC for allegedly violating electoral procedures by relocating the collation of votes from the designated local government collation centers to the commission’s headquarters in Benin.

Ajayi called the election results a betrayal of the people’s electoral desires, asserting that Nigerians are aware that the PDP won. He emphasized that the PDP in Ondo would not tolerate any efforts to undermine the upcoming governorship election in the state, scheduled for November. Ajayi warned that the people of Ondo are prepared to protect their votes and ensure a fair and transparent election.