From Usman A. Bello, Bassey Willie & Abbas Jimoh (Benin)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last night declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of Saturday’s Edo State governorship election.
The returning officer, Professor Faruk Adamu Kuta, announced that the APC candidate garnered a total of 291,667 votes, defeating his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who secured 247,274 votes. Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came third with 22,763 votes.
Kuta, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said the APC won the highest number of votes in 11 out of the state’s 18 local government areas; while the PDP led in seven.
“That Okpebholo Monday of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected”, Kuta declared.
Of 2,249,780 eligible voters, 603,932 were accredited, 573,965 cast votes; while 13,275 votes were rejected.
The Edo State acting chairman of the APC, Jarrett Tenabe, declared the election as the freest in the state.
“APC is the party that cares for the people. We have the governor that will respect the people; the governor that will work for the good of Edo people,” he said.
Obaseki calls for calm, hints at challenging results in tribunal
Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki has called on residents of Edo State to remain calm and avoid any violent reactions following the outcome of the election.
The governor, in a broadcast message yesterday, expressed disappointment with the election, describing it as a “tragedy” and a “travesty of democracy”, alleging that the people were denied their power to choose their leaders. He noted that many Edo residents were disheartened, feeling powerless in the face of the “brute force” exerted by institutions meant to protect them.
“It is therefore understandable that many people feel sad and aggrieved. But in the midst of this despair, I am urging all my fellow Edo citizens to maintain calm and not resort to violence and the destruction of property in spite of this provocation. Peace and justice will always win at the end. And this is my prescription to all the people of Edo State who feel vexed and violated at this time”, he said.
He added that “clearly, it is obvious to the least discerning the amount of impunity and reckless disregard for processes and law that was displayed in this gubernatorial election. In a democracy, there are always safeguards for addressing grievances and we hope that all those affected will seek resolution for this blatant disregard of law and process.”
Obaseki assured residents that his government remains committed to their welfare and security, encouraging them to go about their daily activities peacefully.
CDD alleges widespread vote-buying
In its preliminary report, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa) alleged that widespread vote-buying marred the election.
Professor Adele Jinadu, Chair of the CDD Election Analysis Centre (EAC), disclosed that both the PDP and APC engaged in massive vote-buying, offering between N5,000 and N10,000 per vote in various LGAs.
“Incidents of vote buying were particularly recorded in Edo Central, especially in Orhionmwon LGA, Esan Central, and Esan North East. This practice significantly boosted voter turnout as news of financial incentives spread quickly among communities,” Jinadu said.
He also condemned the involvement of security personnel, who allegedly did little to stop the illegal activity. “The presence of security agents failed to deter the widespread vote buying,” Jinadu said during a press briefing in Abuja.
PDP wants results reviewed, alleges irregularities
Earlier yesterday, the PDP had rejected the result of the poll and called on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to review it before the final declaration of the entire result over alleged irregularities.
Speaking before the declaration of the results from the last two LGAs of Oredo and Ikpoba Okha, the PDP said from its preliminary analysis of the results declared so far, it had observed alleged manufacturing of vote entries and unjust inflation of APC’s votes, as well as deduction of its candidate’s votes in the collation of the election results.
Addressing journalists, the state party chairman, Tony Azeigbemi, said: “Electoral officers appointed by the INEC for the conduct of the election made entries that are totally different from the actual results as uploaded on the INEC IREV, thereby unjustly inflating votes in favour of the APC and deducting the votes of the PDP.”
He alleged discrepancies in the results from Akoko-Edo, Egor, and Etsako local government areas, saying votes were inflated in favour of the APC.
“A simple collation of all the votes recorded in the polling unit results uploaded on the IREV shows that the APC obtained 25,010 votes while 34,847 votes were recorded in the EC8C declared by the LGA Returning Officer,” Azeigbemi alleged. “While for the PDP, a collation of the votes from the results uploaded on the IREV is 18,620, but 15,865 was returned on the EC8C declared by the LGA Returning Officer”, he said.
He continued: “These irregularities highlight an attempt to steal the mandate of the PDP. If the true and authentic results are declared, the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo, will emerge as the winner.”
How the election was won and lost
One of the major surprises of the election was the result in Oredo Local Government Area (LGA) where Governor Obaseki hails from. Despite being the governor’s home base, the APC won the LGA with 30,780 votes; while the PDP trailed with 25,938 votes. The Labour Party, whose candidate is also from Oredo, managed to secure 5,389 votes.
Analysts said the result was a referendum on Obaseki’s governance rather than a judgment on the APC’s national management of the economy and security situation.
The governor was alleged to have alienated key figures in the run-up to the election, including the Oba of Benin. His failure to swear in judges approved by the National Judicial Council (NJC), his public feud with his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, his conflict with the PDP’s Legacy Group and his alleged failure to fulfil his promises were also said to have contributed to his party’s loss.
The election also tested the Labour Party’s credibility as a viable opposition party. The party’s failure to secure victory in any LGA was seen as a self-inflicted defeat, worsened by internal conflicts and the decision to field a candidate from the same LGA as the incumbent. The election was perceived by many as a chance to address the “marginalisation” of the Edo South Senatorial District, from which both the PDP and APC candidates hailed.
However, observers believe vote-buying also played a significant role in determining the election’s outcome, and influenced overall voter turnout.
Obaseki’s midnight visit to INEC office sparks controversy
Before the final collation of results began, Obaseki stirred controversy after he stormed the INEC office in Benin City, and headed for the office of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) where he held a closed-door meeting.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Edo election, Frank Mba, had walked Obaseki, who was accompanied by his security aides, out of the INEC office around 3am.
While there, some members of the APC stormed the INEC office in protest. Among the protesters were Ajibola Basiru, National Secretary of the APC, and Dennis Idahosa, running mate to the APC governorship candidate.
But speaking to journalists at the PDP’s Situation Room in Benin, the governor said he had gone to meet the REC after receiving reports that the commission had stopped collation.
Fintiri accuses INEC of violating Electoral Act
Also speaking earlier yesterday, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri accused the INEC of violating the Electoral Act.
Fintiri, who is the chairman of the Edo PDP National Campaign Council, stated during a press conference held at the party’s situation room in Benin City.
“The PDP agents were denied access to collation centres, which is a gross violation of INEC’s procedures and the Electoral Act,” Fintiri said, adding that: “We have reasons to believe that this was a deliberate attempt to compromise the transparency of the election.
“The collation process was violently interrupted in several local government areas across the state.
“In Edo South, collation processes were stopped in Oredo, Ikpoba-Okha, and Egor, and then moved illegally to the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benin on the instructions of an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG). This is in complete breach of the statutory collation process.
CSOs express concerns
A coalition of civil society organisations that monitored the election expressed concern over the transparency of the collation process.
In a joint statement, seven groups, including Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Kimpact Development Initiative, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, ElectHER, TAF Africa and Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), criticised disruptions at collation centres and alleged intimidation of INEC officials.
It called on INEC to invoke Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 to review any results declared under duress or that violated electoral provisions.
“Reports of result mutilation and attempts to collate results contrary to electoral rules have raised credibility concerns. INEC’s acknowledgement of these issues is a positive step, but it must act swiftly,” the statement read.
Election worst in Nigeria’s history – PDP’s Ighodalo
Asue Ighodalo, the PDP candidate, criticised the conduct of the election, describing it as “probably the worst in Nigeria’s history.”
He accused the INEC of failing to manage the process fairly, citing instances where vote counts exceeded the number of accredited voters.
“There is a result-writing scheme underway, and it’s unacceptable,” Ighodalo said, adding that PDP agents were repeatedly targeted by armed thugs purportedly working for the APC. He condemned the alleged intimidation and violence that marred the election process, stating that such practices were a regression for Nigeria’s democracy.
INEC speaks
In a statement by one of its National Commissioners, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, INEC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, stating that it would not hesitate to act if credible evidence of foul play emerged.
Buhari, Barau congratulate Okpebholo
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Okpebholo on what he called “this prized, historic electoral victory”.
Buhari, in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said he was very hopeful that both leaders of the incoming administration and the party that lost would work together to strengthen democracy and maintain the trajectory of the state’s development.
“I commend law enforcement agencies for the efforts that they put in ensuring a peaceful election and the multitude of election officials who strive to improve their act with each election.
“I pray that the Nigeria, the continent’s most populous country, will continue to achieve remarkable progress under democracy,” Buhari said.
APC’s victory, a vote of confidence on Tinubu-Barau
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, also hailed the APC’s victory in the Edo governorship poll, describing it as a vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said that the people’s say remains the most potent force in any democracy.
Barau, in a statement by his spokesman, Ismail Mudashir, commended the INEC for upholding the people’s will as expressed by their votes.
He also applauded the visionary leadership of the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, which, according to him, has given the party more cohesion and ultimately led to the party’s victory in the election.”
Barau urged the governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory; and his opponents, to lend their support in moving Edo State forward.
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