By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Benue state has rejected the result of last Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections and resolved to approach the Benue State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal to challenge it.

Addressing the media, Thursday in Makurdi the acting State Chairman of the party, Mr. Isaac Mffo, flanked by the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Titus Uba, his running mate, Sir John Ngbede and other party executives regretted that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, failed to live up to the expectations of the people during the exercise.

The Chairman who recalled the enormous work and campaign mounted by his party ahead of the elections, believing that the process would be free, fair and credible, lampooned INEC for failing in its responsibilities to the people.

He said “as a party, we had done our homework diligently in the build-up to the elections having campaigned thoroughly in all parts of the state in the course of which we touched base with the electorate.

“We ran a campaign which was based on our track record of solid developmental performance since 1999 and most recently on the sterling achievements of the Ortom administration which are visible across all facets of the state.

“We were ready for the elections and did mobilize to participate in them with faith and trust in the promises made by the INEC to ensure free and fair elections.

“Sadly, this was not the case at the Governorship and State Assembly polls which were held on March 18, 2023.

“From the reports received and studied by the legal department of our party, we have arrived at the conclusion that the conduct of the elections fell far below the accepted minimum standards as obtained under our current democratic dispensation.

“It is, therefore, the decision of the Benue State Chapter of PDP that the outcome of the March 18, 2023 elections be challenged at the Benue State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi.

“It is our belief that we owe democracy in our country Nigeria a duty to help deepen it by taking such an action to reverse the hijacking of the popular mandate of the people as done by APC during the last elections.

“It is our faith that the mandate of the Benue electorate will be restored to our great party as was rightfully given by the people on March 18, 2023.”