Edo: PDP knocks Buhari for congratulating Obaseki, conferring legitimacy on ‘badly flawed’ poll

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said all the elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government were fraught with irregularities.

The party also noted that the congratulatory message sent to the winner of Edo State governorship election by President Muhammadu Buhari was to confer legitimacy on an otherwise badly flawed election.

The party in a statement on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said the party was robbed of victory in the election.

According to the statement, ‎since the advent of the administration, no election has been free and fair.

“We go for elections as if we are going to war; and virtually all elections conducted by INEC have been either inconclusive or blatantly rigged,” the party alleged.

PDP observed that President Buhari refused to congratulate Governor Seriake Dickson when he won the Bayelsa State governorship election but wasted no time in congratulating Godwin Obaseki of APC who was declared winner of Edo governorship.

“We note with sadness that he had never extended similar congratulatory messages or goodwill to PDP candidates who were victorious in various elections since he assumed office.

“In Bayelsa State where his party with the support of security agencies virtually declared war on Governor Seriake Dickson and the people of Bayelsa, the President refused to congratulate the PDP candidate who against all odds managed to survive the APC onslaught.

“His aides claimed then that the President was not in the business of congratulating election winners.
Why the sudden change of heart now if we may ask? The only plausible explanation is that the President was eager to confer legitimacy on an otherwise badly flawed election,” the statement added.
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It said the action of the President belies his statement that he belongs to nobody but belongs to everybody .

“The President has shown where he belongs. We recall that President Jonathan dutifully never failed to congratulate opposition candidates who won elections during his tenure including Adams Oshiomhole. That is what is expected of a statesman,” PDP noted.

‎It expressed support to the Edo State chapter of the PDP in rejecting the results of the election, and endorse the chapter’s determination to employ all legitimate means to reclaim the stolen mandate.
The party further called on Nigerians to collective rise against anti-democratic forces to save the nation’s democracy.