The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State for what they termed “unforgivable blunders” and misleading narratives regarding the recent off-season gubernatorial election in Edo State, which saw the party’s candidate, Senator Monday Okpebolo, emerge victorious on September 21.
Fintiri, serving as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Edo State election, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rigged the results in favor of the APC. Upon his return to Yola, the state capital, he claimed that electoral malpractice had occurred in three local government areas, alleging underhand tactics by the electoral body.
In response, the APC criticized Fintiri for failing to recognize the factionalization within the PDP and the inability of Governor Godwin Obaseki to deliver on promises of democracy. The party noted that Fintiri’s remarks, which they described as “meaningless allegations,” came after the announcement of results and reflected an unstable perspective regarding INEC’s mandate.
After the election, INEC declared Senator Okpebolo the winner, with a total of 291,667 votes, defeating Asuen Ighodalo of the PDP, who garnered 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata, representing the Labour Party, came in third with 22,763 votes.
The APC’s statement, issued from Benin, suggested that Fintiri should not be taken seriously, especially after he quickly attempted to align himself with the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, despite earlier critical positions he held about the former governor of Rivers State.
“His Excellency, Governor Umaru Fintiri, has revealed himself to be flip-flop in his views,” the statement read. It pointed out that Fintiri had previously praised INEC after his own contentious election victory in Adamawa, only to later criticize the same body after the Edo election results.
The APC emphasized that Fintiri’s remarks were not only contradictory but also undermined national institutions. They noted that the Edo State election was widely recognized as credible and free of acrimony, receiving commendation from local and international observers, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
The party concluded by stating that Fintiri’s refusal to acknowledge the realities in Edo, particularly the evident dissatisfaction with Governor Obaseki’s administration and his chosen successor, was an attempt to distract from his own electoral failures.
