Olumide Akpata, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, says the poll was sold to the highest bidder.
He said this in reaction to the declaration of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the gubernatorial winner.
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Akpata, came distance third with 22,763 votes, behind Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Asue Ighodalo.
In a lengthy statement issued on Monday, he advocated a comprehensive electoral reform by leverage technology to create fool proof systems that make vote buying difficult and impossible.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to building a democracy that works for all, not just the highest bidder. We continue to envision an Edo State, and a Nigeria, where ideas triumph over Naira, where the collective will of the people shapes our future.
“We must also address the root causes that make our people susceptible to vote-selling by creating economic opportunities, improving education, and building a society where citizens do not feel compelled to mortgage their future for immediate gains,” he said.
Akpata lamented that Edo election has laid bare the stark reality that our political landscape is dominated not by ideologies or the people’s will, but by those with the deepest pockets and the most extensive networks of influence.
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While condemning those who engage in vote buying, he noted that the actions have directly contributed to the destruction of the State’s economy over the past 25 years, creating the enabling environment democratic sacrilege to thrive.
He added: “We reserve our strongest condemnation for those who engaged in vote buying, the APC and PDP. Their actions have directly contributed to the destruction of our State’s economy over the past 25 years, creating the enabling environment for this democratic sacrilege to thrive.
“This election has laid bare the stark reality that our political landscape is dominated not by ideologies or the people’s will, but by those with the deepest pockets and the most extensive networks of influence.
“As for the APC and the Governor-elect, their actions have undermined the democratic process, betrayed the trust of the very people they seek to lead, and eroded faith in our democratic institutions.
“This is the legacy that will overshadow their ill-gotten mandate. Their “grab, snatch, and run” playbook is akin to riding on the back of a tiger will ultimately be the source of their undoing.
“The engagement of widespread vote-buying scheme by APC and PDP has reduced our electoral process to a commodity market and a bidding war for votes.”
