Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has called on opposition parties in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States to accept defeat in last Saturday’s governorship election.

The group urged the opposition to accept the outcome of the election as the result of their fate and refrain from challenging the results through legal means.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo made this call in a statement issued by its Factional Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro. The statement congratulated Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor-elect Usman Ododo of Kogi State, and Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State on their victory in Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election.

 “Ohanaeze Ndigbo would like to extend its congratulations to the winners of the off-cycle Governorship elections: Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, and Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State.

“We urge the opposition political parties and their Governorship Candidates in Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa States to accept the outcome of the elections and their respective fates,” the statement partly read.

Isiguzoro stated that while the opposition has the constitutional right to challenge irregularities in the electoral process, such efforts would be futile given the alleged involvement of compromised INEC staff in concealing evidence of these aberrations.

“While it is their constitutional right to challenge the irregularities in the electoral processes, it would be a futile exercise considering that compromised INEC staff have meticulously concealed all evidence of these aberrations.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo remains committed to upholding the principles of democracy and ensuring that the voices of the people are heard.

“We call on all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, and the international community, to join hands in demanding electoral reforms that will guarantee transparent, free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria,” the statement read