The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the judgement of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the election of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is a miscarriage of justice.

The party in a statement yesterday added that the judgement was a betrayal of the trust Nigerians invested in the election tribunal.

PDP, in the statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, insisted that with the avalanche of evidence presented, which it said the tribunal admitted, “it was clear that its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo won the September 21, 2024 Edo State governorship election, having scored the highest number of valid votes cast in the election.”

The party alleged that it was robbed of victory at the election through manipulations and wrongful allocation of votes to the APC, as well as arbitrary and illegal cancellation of valid votes won by the PDP candidate.

It stated that the election tribunal contradicted itself by coming to a conclusion, which it said, is at variance with its own findings.

“More distressing is that this judgement by the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal constitutes a major threat to the confidence Nigerians have in democracy and adjudication of electoral matters,” PDP stated.

The party noted that democracy could only thrive in an atmosphere of adherence to the rule of law and adjudication of issues “which can only be accepted by the people when indeed a tribunal of such nature impartially apply the law, the facts and body of evidence made available to it at proceedings.”

PDP stated that based on its belief in the capacity of the judiciary, and to ensure that justice is done, it will join its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, to appeal against the judgement at the Court of Appeal “where we believe that there will be a conscientious judicial review of the matter to give justice to the people of Edo State.”