Ighodalo: PDP Was Already Divided Before Edo Governorship Election – Afegbua

A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kassim Afegbua, has asserted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was unlikely to have won the Edo governorship election.

The election took place on September 21, 2024, resulting in the declaration of Monday Okpebholo from the APC as the winner.

Naija News reports that the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, faced an initial setback in his attempt to contest the election results when the tribunal dismissed his petition on April 2.

Ighodalo plans to appeal the tribunal’s decision.

Afegbua, who previously served as the state’s commissioner for information, attributed the PDP’s failure to internal conflicts within the party.

He made these comments during an appearance on ‘Hard Facts,’ a program aired on Nigeria Info 99.3FM, on Monday, April 7, 2025.

“A party that was factionalised into four places cannot approach the election with a unanimity of purpose. It’s not possible. You have the Philip Shaibu faction, you have the Dan Orbih faction, you have the legacy faction… they couldn’t have,” Afegbua said.

Afegbua also highlighted the records of the PDP, which he argued supported the APC’s victory.

He stated that in an official correspondence to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP acknowledged that the APC secured the election with a slim lead of 4,963 votes.

“After the election, the PDP wrote formally to INEC requesting INEC to do a review of the election in line with the provisions of the electoral act,” he said.

“What was the content of the letter? They said even in their own situation room, APC won by the records of their own proceedings, with 4,963.

“They were quarrelling with the fact that INEC recorded 40-something thousand difference, but they are saying that 4,963 was the margin of lead.

“Now, whether it is one vote, whether it is two votes, APC won the election. That is attested to by the result from the PDP.

“This is not my own, it was a letter signed and sent to INEC by Azigbemi, the chairman of the party in the state.”

The APC chieftain urged the PDP to accept the election results and prioritise the progress of Edo state.

“We have won the election, and even that is attested to by their own records in their situation room. They should join us to move Edo forward,” Afegbua added.