Protests herald collation of Edo guber poll results

PDP supporters protesting in Benin

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Hundreds of angry youths believed to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), went on the rampage this morning at the premises of the Independent National Electoral Commission, even while the collation of the election results wasongoing.

Trouble started shortly after INEC has announced the results of nine on the 18 local government areas, in which the All Progressives Congress (APC), won five while the People Democratic Party (PDP) got four.

Not long after the Commission’s official announced a break to resume by 12 noon, the youths in their hundred stormed the gate with placards, saying that the election was rigged by INEC in favour of the APC.‎

Earlier, as soon as the result of Oredo local government area was announced, which was won by the APC, with 37,612 votes against PDP’s 30,492, one of the PDP representatives at the collation centre in the INEC premises whose identity could not be verified as at press time, accused the electoral officer of manipulating the election results.

The PDP man declared that all results of the election posted on social media by about 2pm on the election day, indicated that the PDP won the election.

Some of the protesters who spoke to our correspondent, also insisted that results posted on social media on election day indicated that the PDP won the election.

They accused the Commission of manipulating the result of the election in favour of the APC.

One of them who gave his name simply as Osamede, said: “As at yesterday afternoon, results were on social media that PDP won the election. We would not accept the result of the election.”

Meanwhile, the protest almost turned violent when the Senator representing Edo South, Matthew Uroghide stormed INEC office and insisted on driving into the premises in his tinted Hummer bus with the protesting youths filing behind his bus.

It took the intervention of the police who shot several canisters of teargas into the air to disperse the youths.

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