I’ve Absolute Confidence in Judiciary, Ighodalo Declares over Petition in Edo Poll
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Five days after filing his petition at the Edo State Governorship Election Tribunal, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21 governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, has declared his “absolute confidence” in the ability of the judiciary as the last hope of the common man. Ighodalo stated this yesterday on an ITV Benin Radio Talk Show programme in Pidgin English, “Man Around Town.”
He said notwithstanding the notion or perception of many, as a lawyer of 40 years’ experience, his faith in the judiciary to remedy every wrong remained unshaken.
Pointing to the litany of cases that followed his nomination as the PDP candidate, he said, “I won all the 15 cases that were brought against me from the primary. And 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 narrated how PDP supporters were subjected to untold harassment and intimidation through phantom allegations, leading to their unwarranted arrest before and during the election.
He also condemned the alleged collusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state with the Nigeria Police and some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate and distort the results of the election, which he claimed had been going in his favour.
Ighodalo vowed to use every lawful and legitimate means to retrieve and reclaim the mandate from those who allegedly stole it.
Narrating his experience during the material inspection period, he condemned the INEC show of undue sympathy for APC, when PDP had a legitimate court order to be allowed to inspect materials needed to aid the filing of his petition.
Ighodalo specifically singled out the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) and the commission’s legal officer, whom he said engaged in sundry time wasting gimmicks and obstructions.
He stated that all the election observers reported that the election was compromised by the combined collusion of APC, INEC, and the police.
