Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, has disclosed there are possibilities he may challenge the outcome of the election.
Mr Ize-Iyamu said in a statement on Thursday that his party might go to court as long “as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refused to discontinue the various cases it instituted during the pre-election period”.
Mr Ize-Iyamu, who dropped the hint in his Independence Day message to the people of the state, said while he appreciated the appeals from various quarters for him “to let bygone be bygone”, the possibility of a litigation over the election was not ruled out.
Mr Ize-Iyamu said, “At this juncture, therefore, I must rejoice with our people, the entire Edo people. I must congratulate them for our unity. I must toast them for our oneness, even if we all differ by political affiliations. Finally, I must thank them for their maturity and peaceful disposition, as we all went to the polls on September 19.
“We have all played our parts as lawful citizens and unrepentant democrats. Even as we speak, our people should know that PDP and their agents and privies have instituted 13 law suits against my running mate and I. None of them have they discontinued after the election. So, if the PDP don’t pass up their rights under the law, why should we, in APC, do so?”
‘Collating evidence’
Mr Ize-Iyamu said: “we are busy collating our facts. Only after, can we speak and speak authoritatively, in the best tradition of rule of law, fairness to all and due process. We will brief you all in good time and that time is near”.
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“In the course of our methodical approach, not a few deem to have preempted our course of action; and pleaded that we do not proceed to the courts to challenge the election results. While that cannot be dismissed as an entirely bad plea, what I can say is that whatever action we subsequently take would be rooted in due process and the rule of law. We will exercise every right available to us under the law, given the electoral facts at our disposal,” he vowed.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari “for providing a level playing field, for all candidates, irrespective of party affiliations”.
“At least, after the Edo election, democracy wasn’t declared to be in intensive care unit as our PDP friends would have shrieked, had they lost the election! That is democratic spirit the president displayed during and after September 19. I pray and hope that our friends would remember – indeed, inculcate – that spirit, and wean themselves from their win-at-all-costs mentality.”
The pastor turned politician paid glowing tribute to members of the APC.
“But then, the question is after September 19, what next? We owe you an explanation of the way forward. Indeed, not a few have been bombarding us with this question. Well, we have kept quiet so far, not because we are bad losers, as some unfairly presume. It’s rather because, no matter the situation, we are staunch soldiers of the rule of law and due process,” he added.
He also said the party is “at liberty to pursue any legal option we deem fit, so long as the peace of Edo, our beloved homeland, is not threatened”.
Source: allafrica.com
