The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has released a statement praising the conduct of the recent Edo State gubernatorial election while addressing post-election political dynamics.
In the press release, the NDYC congratulated Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his victory, urging the governor-elect to lead with “integrity, fairness, and inclusivity.”
The youth organization commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring a “smooth, transparent, and credible” electoral process. They also applauded the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for maintaining peace during the election, noting the absence of reported casualties.
However, the statement took a critical stance against the incumbent governor’s response to the election results. The NDYC accused the governor of making “baseless claims” that undermine the election’s credibility, labeling this behavior as hypocritical given the governor’s previous acceptance of INEC’s conduct when it favored him.
“It is unfortunate that the current Governor of Edo State… has chosen to undermine the credibility of this election with baseless claims, thus portraying himself as a poor loser,” the statement read.
The NDYC called on the governor to demonstrate statesmanship by respecting the election outcome and supporting the incoming administration. They emphasized that “power is transient” and that “no individual, no matter how influential, can claim ownership over the will of the people.”