The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded September 21 election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has expressed strong confidence in the judiciary, referring to it as the “last hope of the common man.”
Speaking on a television programme in Benin on Wednesday, Ighodalo reaffirmed his faith in the judicial system, despite widespread public perception, drawing from his 40 years of legal experience.
“I won all 15 cases brought against me from the primary election. So, I cannot say I don’t have faith in the judiciary. I certainly do. It remains the last hope of the common man,” Ighodalo stated, emphasizing his belief that the tribunal would deliver justice in his favour.
He condemned the harassment and arrests of PDP supporters, which he said were based on false and spurious allegations before and during the election.
He also accused the All Progressives Congress in the state of working with the Nigeria Police Force and compromised officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission to manipulate the election results that were supposed to favour him and his party.
“Some APC chieftains, in collaboration with compromised INEC staff and police officers, subverted the will of the people. They are enemies of democracy in Nigeria. I will use every lawful and legitimate means to retrieve and reclaim the mandate from those who shamelessly stole it,” he added.
Reflecting on his experience during the material inspection, Ighodalo criticized INEC’s perceived bias towards the APC, despite having a legitimate court order allowing his team to inspect the materials needed to support their petition. He noted that election observers had rated the collation process poorly, and insisted that the evidence proving his victory was indisputable.
Ighodalo dismissed claims that internal conflict within the PDP led to the party’s loss, describing such assertions as “an afterthought” by APC sympathisers seeking to justify the electoral malpractice that occurred in the 21st September election.
When asked whether he would accept the court’s verdict if it did not align with his expectations, he responded that he would abide by the decision of the Supreme Court if it ruled otherwise. However, he maintained that based on the evidence gathered and the expertise of his legal team, he was confident of winning the case currently before the court.
“Do you congratulate a thief who has come to your house and stolen your goods? It’s all propaganda. Didn’t you hear or read that I was preparing to run for the Senate? They are the worst propagandists in this country. Some of them speak before they even think,” he stated.
Ighodalo also warned that if electoral malpractice, such as that witnessed in Edo State, continues, it could pose a significant threat to the survival of democracy in Nigeria. He expressed gratitude to the people of Edo for their support and urged them to remain calm and not be provoked by those who did not have their best interests at heart.
“Let me say this clearly: democracy is at risk if this continues. The people of Edo have spoken, and I am confident that justice will prevail,” he concluded.
