Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the September 21 Edo gubernatorial election, stated on Monday that the election was marred by several irregularities, including voter intimidation and falsification of results, News About Nigeria reports.
Akpata also alleged that the election was meant for the highest bidder as there was widespread vote-buying.
The LP candidate made the claims in a statement released on Monday in reaction to the election result given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The INEC had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, as the winner of the exercise.
Akpata, who came third in the election, said, “As attested to by YIAGA Africa, a leading civil society organisation and domestic observer group, our sacred electoral process was reduced to a commodities market – a bidding war for votes. Although the election was largely free from historical forms of election-day malpractice such as ballot box snatching and stuffing, it was nevertheless marred by voter intimidation and the falsification of results. More insidiously, we witnessed one of the lowest voter turnouts in recent years, a testament to the apathy that has gripped our populace. This disengagement ultimately contributed to the worst-case scenario we now face.
“Let us be clear: what transpired on 21 September 2024 was not an election but a transaction. It was enabled by those who chose to stay away, making it easier for the two dominant parties to afford a significant majority of the few votes on offer, and by those who came out and willingly sold their votes,” he said, thanking his supporters for their commitment. The path to true democracy is often long and fraught with challenges, but it is a journey we must undertake together. Our struggle for good governance, transparency, and accountability continues. We must remain vigilant, engaged, and committed to the ideals that will truly move our State and our nation forward.”
