The People’s Democratic Party(PDP) candidate in the Saturday, September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has stated that the eyes of Nigerians is now on the Supreme Court as he approach the apex court for interpretation of his claims on the anomalies that allegedly characterised the poll.
In his reaction to the ruling of the Court of Appeal which turned down his claim on the polls, Asue said, “we have received this decision with deep disappointment, but also with unwavering resolve to continue our pursuit of justice.
“While we acknowledge the Court’s pronouncement, we believe that this judgment, like that of the Tribunal before it, failed to address the grave concerns we raised regarding widespread acts of non compliance with, and clear violations of the Electoral Act.
“These decisions appear, worryingly, to validate a dangerous pattern of electoral impunity that strikes at the very heart of our democracy and continues to erode public confidence in our electoral process.”
He asserted that the rights of the people of Edo State “was brazenly subverted on September 21st, 2024. The decisions of both the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, though rendered in the name of the law, in effect ignore the will of the people and reward blatant electoral irregularities.”
According to him, “we cannot, and will not, allow injustice to go unchallenged. I have therefore instructed my legal team to approach the Supreme Court of Nigeria to seek redress. We do so for every voter who queued patiently with hope in their hearts, for every young person who dreams of a better Edo State, and for every Nigerian who still believes that democracy must be well practiced to yield a great country.
On his next move, Ighodalo disclosed that he is approaching the Supreme Court “with full confidence in its integrity, its independence, and its role as the final guardian of justice in our republic. We believe their Lordships will consider not just the letter of the law, but the greater implications for democracy, justice, and public trust. The eyes of Edo people, and indeed all Nigerians, now look up to the Supreme Court with hope.”
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