23rd September 2024
Press Statement
2024 Edo State Governorship Election Result As A Reflection Of The Will Of The People
A civil society organization, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has lauded the peaceful and successful conduct of the recently concluded 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election and the announcement of the result as a reflection of the will of the people.
In a press statement issued by the executive director of the group Nelson Ekujumi, "The 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election of Saturday 21st September 2024 which was conducted peacefully, successfully and creditably by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the announcement of the results and the declaration of the winner, is a testimonial to the will of the people as expressed at the polls on election day".
INEC
The group commended INEC for its professionalism, neutrality and dedication to duty in the face of all odds by the successful and credible conduct of the recently concluded 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election. The group noted that based on its observation and monitoring of reports from the field on the day of election, it's findings revealed that INEC staff deployed for the exercise exhibited a high level of understanding of their functions and equipment for accreditation, the BVAS machine which resulted in a voter spending between 2 to 3 minutes for accreditation and voting and thereby reduced the tension associated with people staying long on the queues to vote.
The testimonials to the seamlessness of the accreditation and voting exercise has even been attested to by most if not all the gubernatorial candidates in their post voting comments to the media at the polls on election day. According to CPPM, we physically witnessed situations whereby, if a voter's fingerprint could not be captured on the BVAS, the INEC staff quickly reverted to facial capture and this made the process smooth and seamless.
To CPPM, "The conduct of INEC staffs and the efficient functionality of the BVAS machine deployed, from our observations and monitoring of reports across the state on election day was excellent and this contributed in no small measure to the credible and successful conduct of the election which has produced a result which is a reflection of the will of the people".
The group however frowned at the late arrival of INEC personnel and materials in very few polling stations, according to CPPM, "While we are not in doubt that polling stations where this lateness in the arrival of men and materials occurred, was not up to 0.2% of the total polling stations of 4,519, we are displeased with such incidents and demand that INEC investigate it and do the needful in order to prevent a reoccurrence in future. We demand a 100% performance scorecard in the conduct of elections from INEC and not even 99.9%".
EDO PEOPLE
CPPM also commended the good people of Edo State for coming out to cast their vote freely on election day. According to CPPM, "We commend the good people of Edo State for their resilience, perseverance, patience, peaceful and orderly conduct even in the rains and amidst the threat of violence by proponents of the election being a do or die affair, we salute them for their courage and patriotism in performing their civic duty".
However, the group condemned the incidents of vote buying which occured during the polls and is a stain on our national integrity and democracy. It went on to state that, "Though we recognized that while some voters succumbed to the temptation of being swayed by inducement to vote, we are happy to report that some voters resisted it and went out to exercise their franchise based on their conviction and choice".
PARTY AGENTS
CPPM saluted the party agents of the political parties who participated in the polls for their peaceful and friendly conduct towards one another on the day of election, such civilized acts also helped to ensure the peaceful and successful conduct of the election.
SECURITY AGENCIES
CPPM commended the security agencies for their top class security deployment through road blocks, motorized street patrols and other measures which ensured that the election throughout the state was peaceful and successful. "We are very proud of our security agencies for their professionalism, neutrality, patriotism, courteousness, and dedication to duty, for which they score an A+ in the ranking of all stakeholders who observed and monitored the 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election of Saturday 21st September 2024.
"We are also grateful to our security agencies for maintaining the peace in Edo State until the conclusion of the process through the announcement of results and a declaration of winner, a day after the conduct of the election, which was under threat by anti democratic elements and agents of anarchy".
THE MEDIA AND OBSERVERS
CPPM commended the media for an excellent and unbiased coverage and reportage of the election. The group also praised the local and international observer groups for observing the rules of engagement which was critical to the successful conduct of the election and urged them to continue to exhibit such level of professionalism and neutrality in the preparation of their observation report as the whole world is watching.
PDP GOVERNORS FORUM
However, the Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) condemned in the strongest terms the irresponsible, reprehensible, condemnable, reckless, provocative, illegal, invitation to anarchy and threat to democracy and national security flagrant violation of our Constitution and the Electoral Act conduct of PDP's Governors Forum announcement of fake 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election results in usurpation of the constitutional authority of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
"The desperation and unconstitutional conduct of the PDP Governors forum in announcing fake 2024 Edo State gubernatorial election results is an act of electoral brigandage and criminality which must be met with the full force of the law to serve as a deterrent to lawless individuals abusing public office and trust to betray public trust and violate the laws of the land".
CPPM while congratulating the good people of Edo State for a free, peaceful, credible and successful conducted 2024 gubernatorial election which has portrayed our democracy and country in good light in the comity of nations, called on the Governor-Elect Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC to be magnanimous and see his victory at the polls on Saturday as a testimonial of trust from the people of Edo State to impact their lives to the glory of God and benefit of humanity.
The group as well called on other candidates and parties who participated in the election to be gallant in defeat and put the interest of the people of Edo State first in rallying round the declared winner for the collective good, while admonishing those who are aggrieved to seek redress in court and not to provoke a breakdown of law and order.
God bless Edo State
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely,
E-signed,
Nelson Ekujumi,
Executive Director.
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