By Nefishetu Yakubu
Benin – Rep. Johnson Agbonayima, (APC-Edo) on Wednesday protested against an alleged stolen mandate in Benin.
Agbonayima, who represents Egor-Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives failed in his re-election bid at the Feb. 23, Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lawmaker led some protesters to the office of the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), in Benin on Wednesday alleging that he has been robbed of his mandate which he needed to reclaim in a law court.
“My mandate has been stolen and we are here to demand from INEC that it must do the needful by allowing my lawyers access to the materials used in the conduct of the Feb. 23 election.
“I will challenge my stolen victory in a competent court of law. I believe in the rule of law and I know that with time, I will reclaim my victory as freely given to me by the peoples,” he said.
Responding, the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Emmanuel Alex-Hart, who was represented by the Head of Administration, Mr Utong Christian said the commission would treat every complain within the ambit of the law.
He however appealed to the protesters to be orderly and go about their protest peacefully.
NAN reports that INEC had declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
candidate Mr Jude Ise-Idehen as the winner of the Egor/Ikpoba-Okha
federal constituency election.(NAN)
