Former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Chidoka, who also served as
Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), revealed this during an
appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Friday. He stated that
his decision to step away from politics was to focus on his non-profit
organization, the Athena Centre, and collaborate with other Nigerians committed
to reforming the nation’s political system.
"Earlier today, I sent a
letter to my ward in Anambra State, formally resigning from the PDP. I am
stepping back from politics for now and focusing on the Athena Centre,"
Chidoka said. "I intend to work alongside Nigerians who share the goal of
reforming our political system through evidence-based governance. Effective
today, I am no longer a member of the PDP."
Allegations
of Electoral Misconduct in Edo State
The Athena Centre, founded by
Chidoka, recently reviewed the Edo State governorship election, in which the
All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo, was declared the
winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), defeating Asue
Ighodalo of the PDP.
The Centre alleged that the election process was compromised, citing significant evidence of systemic rigging. Presenting the findings, Chidoka stated, "The scale of systemic rigging observed in this election is so substantial that the results cannot be deemed credible. Allowing this to stand undermines the integrity of future elections, including 2027."
Chidoka expressed dismay at
INEC’s role, accusing the commission of jeopardizing its credibility. He
pointed to discrepancies in voter accreditation, instances of overvoting, and
manipulation at ward collation centers. He also criticized the failure to
transmit BVAS accreditation records to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Additionally, Chidoka
highlighted that results from 153 polling units were unaccounted for, further
undermining the election’s integrity. He concluded that the Edo State election
failed to meet basic credibility standards due to significant interference in
the electoral process by the electoral umpire.
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