A civil society group has declared that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, have lost relevance in Edo State and should either join the All Progressives Congress (APC) or step aside from the political scene.
The group expressed confidence that Governor Monday Okpebholo and the APC would emerge victorious at the election petition tribunal, dismissing concerns over the party’s decision to present only one witness before closing its case.
“We are certain that Governor Okpebholo will emerge victorious at the tribunal. All the talk of not presenting witnesses is immaterial. Judicial theatrics by the PDP and Asue Ighodalo amounts to a waste of judicial time,” said Osato Idemudia, the group’s national coordinator, in a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja.
Idemudia emphasized that calling witnesses does not determine the outcome of an election petition, citing the 2019 case where President Muhammadu Buhari won at the tribunal without presenting witnesses.
He urged Ighodalo and the PDP to withdraw their case, just as other parties, including the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Allied People’s Movement (APM), had done.
“They lack merit in their pursuit other than to excite their handful of supporters. In reality, the party is gasping for breath, with members defecting by the hour. It is wishful thinking for them to believe they still have a stronghold in Edo State,” Idemudia added.
On Governor Okpebholo’s first 100 days in office, the group praised his leadership, particularly his efforts in tackling corruption, fixing roads, and revamping key sectors such as health, education, and state-owned media.
“Can you not see how serious the governor is with governance? Under 100 days, he suspended senior appointees over alleged corruption. That shows that the Edo treasury is safe with him,” Idemudia said.
He called on Edo residents to support the governor’s administration and allow him to focus on delivering the dividends of democracy without unnecessary distractions from the opposition.
