Edo Election 2024: PDP Fumes, Demands Urgent Arrest of INEC Presiding Officer, Gives Reasons

• The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of INEC Presiding Officer Obozuwa Josephine
• The PDP alleges that Josephine allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP, and one to the Labour Party (LP) at Osholo Primary School Polling Unit
• The PDP has called for Josephine's prosecution and the cancellation of the Osholo Primary School Polling Unit's election results

Benin, Edo state - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Obozuwa Josephine, an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Presiding Officer, for alleged electoral fraud during the 2024 Edo State Governorship election.

The PDP claims that Josephine, allegedly compromised by the All Progressives Congress (APC), fraudulently allocated non-existent votes to the APC, sparking outrage within the party.

PDP alleges discrepancies in vote allocation

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Edo state election results: How presiding officer recorded more votes than accredited voters

A statement shared on X and signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary, cited by Legit.ng noted that the election result sheet for the Osholo Primary School Polling Unit in Weppa, Etsako East Local Government Area, shows that while 213 voters were accredited, Josephine reportedly allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP, and one to the Labour Party (LP).

The PDP said:

"This brought the total number of votes cast to 406—an impossibility given the number of accredited voters."

The PDP has condemned this as a clear case of electoral fraud and manipulation.

PDP recounts past electoral misconduct

The PDP likened Josephine's alleged actions to the infamous conduct of Mallam Hudu Ari, the former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa State, during the 2023 Governorship election.

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BREAKING: Edo state election result emerges from deputy governor Shaibu's polling unit as APC smiles

The party highlighted that similar fraudulent activities in Adamawa led to violent protests and nearly resulted in the loss of lives of INEC officials.

The PDP warned that such actions in Edo could provoke similar consequences, urging the authorities to take swift action to prevent further unrest, The Punch reported.

Calls for prosecution, election cancellation

In light of these allegations, the PDP has demanded that INEC immediately arrest and prosecute Obozuwa Josephine for what it describes as a betrayal of public trust and a crime against the state.

The party also called for the cancellation of the election results from the Osholo Primary School Polling Unit and urged INEC to address other instances of alleged electoral infractions in the state.

Source: Legit.ng