David Ombugadu claims Nigeria's election result portal proves he won Nasarawa's 2023 governorship race. The PDP aspirant made the assertion after screening exercises in Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission's IReV system contains evidence of his victory. "The facts are still there," Ombugadu told reporters after the process.
He backed by Nyesom Wike's PDP faction, ran for governor two years ago. That campaign, he insisted, ended in triumph despite other claims.
Ombugadu urged journalists and civil society groups to help protect votes. He didn't assign blame solely to candidates for electoral integrity.
"Together, we will put measures in place to protect our votes," he said. Transparency in transmission and collation, he added, remained crucial for future elections.
About twenty aspirants underwent screening at PDP headquarters in Maitama that day. Legacy House hosted the competitive exercise.
Hazeem Gbolaranmi, contesting from Oyo State, launched attacks on Governor Seyi Makinde. He accused the governor of betraying the party that elevated him.
"Makinde has abandoned the PDP that made him," Gbolaranmi told reporters. His presidential ambitions, Gbolaranmi noted, revealed ungrateful behavior.
Gbolaranmi questioned where Makinde gained presidential experience. The governor only invested in roads, he argued, not genuine development.
As a grassroots politician, Gbolaranmi promised better health and education programs. Infrastructure expansion would also feature in his agenda.
Mogaji Kayode Ogunsola, another Oyo aspirant, emphasized industrialization as his priority. Circular roads mean nothing, he argued, when residents lack income.
"We must build SMEs as the middle tier," Ogunsola explained. Skills development would unlock real economic transformation, he believed.
Youth training programs deserved urgent attention, Ogunsola added. Construction firms imported workers from neighboring countries instead of hiring locally.
"Why is a man from Benin better than Oyo people?" he asked. Masonry, carpentry, and woodwork centers of excellence could change that reality.
Dr. Kelechi Anosike from Abia State shifted focus to incumbent performance claims.
Critics praising the current governor, he said, must provide statistics.
Nothing concrete exists on the ground, Anosike insisted. Abia's governor hasn't delivered visible achievements, according to his assessment.
