Edo Poll: US Seeks Peaceful Resolution Among Political Parties

The United States government has called for a peaceful resolution following the recently concluded Edo State gubernatorial election, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to uphold transparent and legal procedures in addressing any challenges to the results.

In a statement on Tuesday by the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., the American government commended the people of Edo State for their peaceful conduct during the September 21 election.

New Telegraph had earlier reported that Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner with 291,667 votes.

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Okpebholo triumphed over Asue Ighodalo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 247,274 votes, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), who garnered 22,763 votes.

However, the results have been contested by opposition parties, which claim that the figures do not reflect the true will of the electorate. They have vowed to seek legal redress.

Reacting to the outcome of the election, “The U.S. Mission in Nigeria commends the people of Edo State for the widely peaceful conduct of gubernatorial elections on September 21 and reiterates calls for calm following the announcement of results,” the U.S. statement read.

It further urged INEC and other stakeholders to respect due process, stating, “We commend Governor Godwin Obaseki’s appeal for peace and urge all stakeholders, including INEC, to support established electoral processes and respect legal procedures to challenge results.”

The U.S. government emphasized that transparency and adherence to due process are vital for maintaining public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.

Ambassador Mills reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to supporting free, fair, and credible elections in the country, stating that the U.S. would continue to monitor the post-election developments closely.

The statement comes as Edo State gears up for potential legal battles over the contested results, with both local and international observers watching closely.