Patience Ndidi Key, the governorship candidate of People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the just concluded Edo election, has described the September 21st election as the most rigged election in Nigeria political history, arguing that the election was not a contest of ideas, nor of policies, or the will of the people.
Ndidi Key, who made the declaration while addressing journalists in Benin lamented that
the election, which should have been a moment of hope and a step forward for the people of Edo, was tragically marred by manipulation, vote-buying, and outright rigging.
According to her, “The election was not a contest of ideas, policies, or the will of the people—it was the most rigged, orchestrated by the three so-called “popular” parties: the APC, PDP, and LP. In truth, the people of Edo State had no interest in voting for APC, PDP, or LP.
“These parties have, over the years, systematically impoverished our state, stripped us of dignity, and left our infrastructure, economy, and human capital in shambles.
“The APC, known for its notorious electoral manipulations, once again showed its expertise in rigging elections, while the PDP, whose candidate, the current chairman of Edo State’s Economic Council, has failed woefully to add any real value to the state’s economy over the past years, had no moral standing to even contest the election.
“The LP candidate secured his nomination through blatant vote-buying, making a mockery of the democratic process and further undermining the already fragile integrity of our electoral system.
“What we witnessed was not a democratic election, it was a rigged, rigger, biggest show of corruption and electoral malpractice that does not represent the will of the people of Edo State” she said.
While speaking on the Consequences of Vote Buying and Selling, the PRP guber candidate said, “Let us be clear, Vote buying and selling is not just a crime, it is a deliberate act of self-sabotage. It has dire consequences for both the state and its people.
“The people of Edo State have been so deeply impoverished by decades of mismanagement that many now believe selling their votes is a solution to their immediate hunger. But, my dear people, this practice only deepens the cycle of poverty, corruption, and underdevelopment.
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“When we sell our votes, we are selling our future and the future of our children. This transactional politics does not bring relief, it brings greater suffering. The small amount of money exchanged during elections will be used by these politicians to recoup their “investment” through corrupt practices and mismanagement once in office. They are buying your poverty, not your progress”
Ndidi Key also analysed the end results of vote buying and selling which Edo people must understand, adding that when politicians buy their way into office, they owe no loyalty to the people—only to themselves and their financiers.
“The result is poor governance, corruption, and a lack of accountability, lack of development, infrastructure remains decayed, the healthcare system collapses, our education system continues to crumble.
She further declared, “Vote buying keeps the corrupt cycle alive as it would erode human capital while our youths, women, and men will be deprived of opportunities to improve their lives.
“A state governed by those who buy votes cannot invest in education, skill acquisition, or any meaningful human capital development”
Berating the three major parties further, Ndidi Key, declared, “it is evident that APC, PDP, and LP do not mean well for the people of Edo State. They have consistently robbed us of our future, leaving behind a legacy of bad roads, dilapidated schools, broken healthcare systems, and rampant unemployment.
“The hardship inflicted on Nigerians, particularly on the most vulnerable, is a signature of the APC’s incompetence and lack of vision. The same is true for the PDP, whose history of failed leadership mirrors that of the APC.
“The PDP in Edo State has done nothing but continue the cycle of poverty and suffering, leaving our people in a perpetual state of deprivation. Their policies have done nothing to create real progress for the people. Both the APC and PDP are two sides of the same coin together, they are the destroyers of our democracy and the hopes of our people.
“These parties have worked hand in hand to impoverish our nation and our state, leaving us with broken roads, dilapidated schools, a dysfunctional healthcare system, and skyrocketing unemployment. Their candidates represent nothing more than a continuation of the status quo—a system built to serve the interests of a few while the masses suffer.
“But I remind you today, as your sister, as your daughter, and as your fellow citizen, that we hold the power to change our narrative. Power belongs to the people, and we must realize that our input is necessary for the transformation of Edo State”
