Women storm streets in Benin to protest over guber election results

Social media has been abuzz as thousands of Edo women, dressed in black, took to the streets of Benin City on Monday in a powerful protest against the results of the recently concluded Edo State governorship election.

The protesters, expressing their outrage over alleged electoral manipulation, are demanding that the mandate they believe was given to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, be upheld.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, was declared the winner, but the election has been mired in controversy, with widespread accusations of rigging, voter suppression, and a lack of transparency.

The protesters are calling for justice and fairness, insisting that the voices of the people be respected.

The women, dressed uniformly in black attire, marched in large numbers through major streets in Benin City, chanting songs of solidarity and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Respect Our Vote,” “INEC Must Obey Court Orders,” and “We Stand with Asue Ighodalo.”

Eyewitnesses described the protest as one of the largest and most organized in recent history.

As the protest unfolded, social media platforms, particularly Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, were flooded with images and videos of the march.

The hashtag #EdoWomenInBlack quickly began trending, as users across the country and beyond expressed their support for the women’s cause.

One Twitter user wrote, “The power of Edo women should not be underestimated. They are standing for truth and justice! #EdoWomenInBlack.”

Another commented, “This is what true democracy looks like – people standing up for their rights. INEC must listen to the voices of these brave women. #EdoWomenInBlack.”

Many social media users shared videos of the women chanting, holding placards, and demanding that INEC obey the law and allow the PDP to inspect electoral materials, as ordered by the court.

“We came out in our numbers on election day, stood under the sun, and cast our votes. Now, they want to tell us that our votes don’t count? We will not accept that,” one protester told reporters.

The protesters also called on the international community to take note of the situation in Edo State.

“We are calling on the United Nations, the African Union, and all global bodies to see what is happening in Edo. This is an attack on democracy, and we cannot allow it to stand,” another protest leader stated.