The results of the by-elections held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Edo State, which were officially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have been outrightly rejected by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to the party, the entire electoral exercise was flawed and amounted to a deliberate attempt to undermine the democratic process in Nigeria.
The PDP accused INEC of deliberate sabotage and described the outcome as a severe blow to the integrity of the nation’s democracy.
INEC had declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates as winners of the elections.
In the Edo Central Senatorial District race, Dr. Joseph Ikpea of the APC was announced the victor with 105,129 votes, creating a massive lead over his closest rival, Joe Okojie of the PDP, who garnered only 15,146 votes.
This wide margin of defeat highlights the scale of the APC’s reported victory.
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives contest for Ovia Federal Constituency, Omosede Igbinedion of the APC was declared the winner.
The Returning Officer, Prof. Kingsley Ubaorji, praised the conduct of the elections, describing them as transparent and asserting that the results reflected the will of the people in the state.
Despite INEC’s announcement, the Edo State PDP vehemently rejected the declared results. In a statement issued on Sunday, Chris Nehikhare, the Elections Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee, expressed deep concern over the conduct of the elections.
He described the process as “an embarrassment to democracy” and accused INEC of acting in a manner that compromised the integrity of the electoral exercise.
The party alleged that INEC hid behind claims of technical “glitches” and system “malfunctions,” but argued that these issues were not accidental but deliberate acts that allowed manipulation in favour of the APC.
According to Nehikhare, the Commission’s conduct reflects a lack of competence, neutrality, and moral authority in managing Nigeria’s elections.
Nehikhare emphasised the critical role of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which is designed to ensure transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
He stated that the system had been deliberately mismanaged to benefit the APC rather than functioning as a safeguard.
“What we witnessed was not a technical failure but a deliberate sabotage by INEC,” Nehikhare said.
“The aim was to provide an unfair advantage for the APC and compromise the electoral process.
“In any responsible society, the management of INEC would have been held accountable, removed from office, and prosecuted for repeatedly undermining the electoral process.”
He further warned that democracy will remain under constant threat unless Nigerian elections are adequately prepared, conducted transparently, and held to a credible standard.
“Nigerians deserve elections that are free, fair, and credible—not exercises where the outcome is predetermined,” he added.
The party vowed to continue challenging any actions and outcomes that it believes compromise the integrity of elections, insisting that the current results did not reflect the will of the people of Edo State.
This dispute highlights the growing tension between political stakeholders and the electoral commission over the conduct and credibility of elections in Nigeria, raising questions about transparency, accountability, and the future of democratic governance.