Nigeria's ruling party wins key poll amid fraud claims

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – Nigeria's ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was Thursday declared winner of a hotly contested governorship election in the country's oil-rich Edo state amid allegations of fraud from the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Nigeria's electoral commission said Godwin Obaseki polled 319,483 votes to beat his major challenger Osagie Ize-Iyamu who got 253,173 in Wednesday’s poll.

The PDP rejected the result, alleging widespread manipulation and fraud.

Ize-Iyamu told reporters in Benin, the state capital: "The figures announced … do not represent the massive turnout. We have told our agents to bring all the results issued at the polling units.

“We do not want to rely on the messages they sent. In the next three or four days, we will have a complete record. From the findings, it is clear a lot of manipulation has taken place."

Hundreds of PDP supporters earlier stormed the headquarters of the electoral commission to reject the poll's outcome.

The PDP said the election was judgment time for APC President Muhammadu Buhari whose handling of the economy, now officially in recession after two consecutive dips in GDP, has elicited varied responses from Nigerians.

The APC said the outcome confirmed the popularity of the government.