The Labour Party (LP) in Edo State has alleged that its candidate in the recent gubernatorial election, Olumide Akpata, was deprived of victory due to widespread irregularities in the election process.
Kelly Ogbalo, the Chairman of the Labour Party in Edo, stated that although their candidate had the support to win, he was denied this by manipulations from the ruling party.
In an interview conducted on Monday in Benin City, Ogbalo expressed disappointment in the election’s conduct.
He claimed the process was marred by serious irregularities, including open vote buying, which he said was left unchecked by security agencies.
According to Ogbalo, this resulted in an unfair advantage for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebholo, who was declared the winner of the election.
Speaking with journalists, Ogbalo expressed his frustration over what he described as an election that was not conducted in a free and fair manner.
He stated, “Labour Party won the election but was not allowed to take possession. What I mean by that is that the election was marred with serious irregularities; there was open vote buying. The security agencies failed to check this anomaly.”
Ogbalo further explained that with the various manipulations of the results, it was impossible for his party’s candidate to emerge victorious, despite their popularity among the voters.
“So in such a way where votes were bought and with manipulation of results here and there. What do you expect?” he asked rhetorically.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the official results of the election on September 22.
INEC declared that Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the APC, emerged victorious with a total of 291,667 votes.
Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came in second with 247,274 votes, while Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata came in third with 22,763 votes.
This significant margin between Akpata and the leading candidates has led some to question Labour Party’s claims of potential victory.
However, Ogbalo remains firm in his stance that his party’s candidate had the support to win, and that their loss was due to electoral malpractices.
The issue of vote buying has been a recurring concern in Nigerian elections.
Observers, civil society organizations, and even foreign bodies have consistently raised alarm over the growing trend of politicians offering money or gifts to secure votes.
This practice not only undermines the democratic process but also disenfranchises voters by reducing their votes to commodities that can be bought.
In the case of the Edo election, Ogbalo stressed that there were numerous incidents of vote buying that were carried out in the open.
He lamented that security agencies, who were supposed to monitor and prevent such activities, turned a blind eye.
He said, “The security agencies failed to check this anomaly. There were reports everywhere of money exchanging hands, yet nothing was done.”
This concern echoes similar complaints from other parts of the country, where vote buying and voter intimidation have become significant issues in recent elections.
When asked if the Labour Party plans to challenge the election results in court, Ogbalo stated that the party has not yet made a decision on that.
According to him, the party leadership is still in the process of evaluating the situation before deciding on the next course of action.
“We are yet to call a state council meeting to take a position,” Ogbalo said.
This leaves the possibility of the Labour Party seeking legal redress open, although the decision will likely depend on the outcome of internal party deliberations.
In recent years, the judiciary has played a crucial role in determining the outcome of elections in Nigeria.
Several election results have been overturned by the courts due to proven cases of rigging, vote buying, and other electoral malpractices.
It is therefore not unusual for losing parties to seek justice through legal channels, as the courts have the power to either order a rerun or declare another candidate the rightful winner if there is sufficient evidence of malpractice.
The Edo State governorship election was keenly contested, with three major parties – APC, PDP, and LP – fielding strong candidates.
Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the APC, is a popular politician in the state and was widely seen as a frontrunner in the election.
His victory marks another significant win for the APC, which continues to dominate in several states across the country.
On the other hand, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party were also strong contenders, each with a dedicated base of supporters.
The Labour Party, in particular, has seen a surge in popularity across Nigeria, following the 2023 presidential election, in which the party’s candidate, Peter Obi, performed well, particularly among young voters.
This momentum carried into the Edo governorship election, with many young people and first-time voters rallying behind Akpata.
However, the Labour Party’s allegations of electoral malpractice suggest that this enthusiasm was not enough to overcome the challenges posed by what they see as a rigged system.
The outcome of the Edo governorship election will likely have long-term implications for the state’s political landscape.
