BY NEW BUSINESS ETHIOPIA REPORTER
After listing 31 reasons why the fourth Ethiopian national election was unfair and not free, Member of Parliamentarian (MP) and 
Chairman of Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), Lidetu Ayalew, confirmed that his party accepts the “unexpected” over 99 percent victory of the ruling party.
Briefing local and international media this afternoon (May 31, 2010) at the Ghion Hotel, in Addis Ababa: “…Even though the election was not free and fair, we accept the result announced by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE),” said Lidetu, who failed to secure a single seat at the national parliament.
Stating that his party has performed very well during the campaign, Lidetu indicated that he was surprised by the fact that his party didn’t get a single seat at the parliament.
“As Ethiopia is a country of people with different religion, ethnicity, It is also a nation of people with diversified political views. The result of the election doesn’t show this diversity. It shows not only the defeat of the opposition parties but also the defeat of democracy in the country,” he said.
According to his party’s six page assessment, the party is shocked and frustrated by the election result, in which “cheating and misinforming the public” was witnessed.
“The ruling party members in some areas have harassed and intimidated EDP members and the voters. The narrow political space has also led to the result, which the party expressed it as ‘unexpected’,” EDP noted.
“The undemocratic behavior of the ruling party resulted in the unexpected result. As a result, the multiparty system of the country is endanger,” the party leaders noted.
In conclusion, they stressed that their party accepts the result “prioritizing the vote of the majority, peace and national interest of the country than their party’s interest of wining the election.
