The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, declared on Monday that the outcome of the poll lacked the basic ingredients of integrity, as the process was characterized by vote-buying and other transactional methods that are antithetical to democratic norms.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Benin, Akpata stated that what transpired on September 21, 2024, was not an election but a transaction, made possible by voters who stayed away from the polls and by the few who turned up but chose to sell their votes willingly to the two dominant parties.
According to him, 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.
Regrettably, the LP candidate further noted that the election witnessed one of the lowest voter turnouts in recent years, adding that the apathy confirmed the fact that the people had resigned themselves to the worst-case scenario they now face.
“Let us be clear. What transpired on September 21, 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 secure a significant majority of the few votes available, and by those who came out and willingly sold their votes.
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“To those who sold their votes: We extend our understanding, not condemnation. We acknowledge the crushing economic hardships that many of you face daily—hardships that make the immediate relief of vote-selling seem like a lifeline. Yet, this short-term gain comes at an immense long-term cost. We implore you to reflect deeply on the consequences of your actions, to recognize that your vote is the legacy you bequeath to future generations,” he said.
Akpata, however, noted that the situation became more worrisome when it was discovered that some LP faithful and agents were among those involved in the transactions, willingly selling their future for peanuts to the very political parties whose actions and policies had impoverished them.
He also criticized the unwitting establishment of a collegiate system of government comprising godfathers, surrogate governors, and other forces within and outside the state who hoped to puppet the governor-elect.
According to him, “The implications of this for Edo State are dire, as the state will continue to face the prospect of underdevelopment, misallocation of resources, and governance that serves the interests of a few rather than the needs of the many—the consequences the people must now live with for years to come.
“A troubling theme emerged as the day unfolded: a widespread vote-buying scheme by both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
As attested to by YIAGA Africa, a leading civil society organization and domestic observer group, our sacred electoral process was reduced to a commodities market—a bidding war for votes. This practice, no less damaging than outright ballot stuffing, has effectively disenfranchised the people of Edo State,” he lamented.
On whether he and his party would take legal action, Akpata stated that the results of the election had been submitted to his lawyers and the LP’s legal team, adding that they would conduct a forensic analysis and determine the next steps.
