The recent Edo gubernatorial election, in which Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerged victorious, has been openly condemned by Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Pearse said that the problems in Edo may portend difficulties for Nigeria’s national elections in 2027 unless significant electoral changes are implemented. The Nigerian Tribune reported that Pearse claimed the poll was rife with anomalies and manipulation…. CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️
Pearse, who is also a public affairs analyst and the convener of Reset Lagos PDP, asserted that the PDP had actually won the election but was denied victory through the actions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents. He emphasized that the results announced by INEC, which favored APC, did not reflect the true outcome of the polls. According to Pearse, the election is now subject to litigation due to these unresolved issues.
In his remarks, Pearse expressed concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, suggesting that the election was compromised by corrupt officials within INEC and the police. He also pointed to pre-election events that cast doubt on the credibility of the process, including reports from social media indicating discrepancies between the results posted on INEC’s server and the official announcement, which declared APC as the winner.
Pearse expressed a deep distrust of INEC, referencing the public rejection of the election results by the PDP National Publicity Secretary. He called for urgent electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that the current system, where the president appoints the INEC chairman and commissioners and controls local government funds, leaves room for widespread manipulation.
He further warned that if these systemic issues are not addressed, Nigeria’s elections will continue to be compromised, leading to a lack of accountability and transparency. Pearse argued that the Edo election serves as a warning, signaling how future elections could be rigged without meaningful reforms.
Regarding the judiciary, Pearse expressed skepticism about obtaining a fair judgment in court, citing corruption throughout the country’s institutions. He lamented the difficulty of conducting credible elections under the current circumstances, noting that the Edo election was neither open nor fair.
Despite these challenges, Pearse reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to exposing electoral malpractices. He vowed that the party would pursue legal action to ensure that the truth about the Edo election is revealed, maintaining that the PDP would not remain silent in its fight for electoral justice and accountability.CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️
