The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, says his mandate was stolen and the will of the people subverted in Saturday?s election.

?That day will forever be etched in our history as one of our darkest moments, marked by the brazen theft of our mandate and the shameful subversion of the will of the people,? he said in a statement after the Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC), declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the keenly contested election.

Ighodalo came second with 247,274 votes behind the APC candidate who scored 291,667 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes.

Ighodalo, however, hailed his supporters, saying, ?You are the true heroes of our democracy, and your sacrifices for a better Edo State will never be forgotten.?

He said added that their ?overwhelming support was evident in the ballots before our progress was unjustly halted on September 21st, 2024 by people who do not mean well for you or for our state.?

Below is the full statement:

My good people of Edo State,

First, in all things, we must give thanks to God. We give thanks to God for the gift of life, of health, and for the love you all have shown me.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who has stood by us on this incredible journey.

I would like to particularly thank the good people of Edo State who defied the rains, intimidation, threats of violence, harassment, arrests and financial inducements to cast their votes for us, overwhelmingly, last Saturday, 21st September 2024. You are the true heroes of our democracy, and your sacrifices for a better Edo State will never be forgotten.

My aspiration was not borne out of the love for power but a genuine desire to serve the people and create a Pathway to Prosperity for All in Edo State. I traveled through every ward and every Local government area, sharing this message and engaging in meaningful conversations with you.

To all our beloved supporters, thank you for believing in this vision, for your countless hours of dedication, and for every conversation you had with people about this cause.

Together, we ran a great campaign, and your overwhelming support was evident in the ballots before our progress was unjustly halted on September 21st, 2024 by people who do not mean well for you or for our state.

That day will forever be etched in our history as one of our darkest moments, marked by the brazen theft of our mandate and the shameful subversion of the will of the people.

Yet, in the face of this challenge, we must not be discouraged. The illusory triumph of evil over good is only temporary.

Our journey towards a prosperous Edo State does not end here; it is just beginning. Let us remain engaged, committed, and united in our collective resolve to create a Pathway to Prosperity for All in Edo State. You did not abandon me during our campaign; and I promise you that as we face a daunting and uncertain future together, I will not abandon you.

God bless the people of Edo State

God bless the people of Nigeria

I thank you all. (Channels)

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