Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomole, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last gubernatorial election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of fraudulently obtaining 253,173 votes.
Oshiomhole, still basking in the euphoria of the victory recorded by the All Progressives Congress candidate, Godwin Obaseki, said the PDP candidate could not have scored up to 50,000 votes if the election was completely free and fair.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Obaseki winner with a total of 319,483 votes.
The outgoing governor spoke on Thursday while addressing some APC youths during a road show in Benin City.
Oshiomole said his party will lead evidence at the election petitions tribunal to show how Ize-Iyamu got the undeserved votes allocated to him.
According to him, contrary to claims by the PDP that its candidate was rigged out, the people of the state who he said voted overwhelmingly for APC, were actually denied the true figures.
The PDP had on Monday vowed to take back its mandate from the APC through the courts.
“We encourage our opponents to go to court. We will be able to lead evidence to show how much they profited from electoral fraud because the Ize-Iyamu that I know is not worth 50,000 votes.
“So, it is like an armed robber rushing to a police station with bullet wounds and claiming that he has been shot, whereas he is the one who opened fire on very innocent people. We will expose them where it matters in our courtrooms.”
He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the APC in the poll, adding that the outcome marked the final political “funeral” of the godfathers in the PDP.
He continued: “My message to them is, whether it is Igbinedion, (Tony) Anenih or (Tom) Ikimi, it is not me.
“It is God who knows their sin against our people that decided to recall their political lives. He has only used us to cement it and to celebrate their political funeral.”
