Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, has raised concerns over the outcome of the recently concluded election, citing widespread voter intimidation and vote-buying as major flaws in the process.
Thediscovererng.com reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner with 291,667 votes, followed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Akpata of the Labour Party placed third with 22,763 votes.
In a statement released after the results were announced, Akpata criticized the electoral process, pointing to the low voter turnout as a sign of public disillusionment with the system. He noted that while there were no significant reports of ballot stuffing, many citizens chose to abstain from voting, which created an opportunity for vote-buying by the dominant political parties.
“What we witnessed on September 21, 2024, was not an election but a transaction,” Akpata said. “The people who chose to stay away made it easier for the two dominant parties to secure a majority of the votes through financial inducements, and for those who did vote, many sold their votes for immediate relief.”
Akpata also revealed that he lost his polling unit because he refused to engage in vote-buying, a practice he condemned despite acknowledging that he had the resources to do so. He described the Labour Party’s stance as a principled one, rejecting the “cash-and-carry” politics that dominated the election.
“Our campaign refused to participate in this show of shame,” Akpata stated. “Even though I could have easily used cash to win my polling unit, we chose to stand by our values, rejecting the perversion of democracy that vote-buying represents.”
He directed his strongest criticism toward the APC and PDP, accusing both parties of undermining the state’s political and economic future through their reliance on financial inducements to secure votes.
“The actions of the APC and PDP have directly contributed to the destruction of Edo’s economy and have created an environment where democratic values are easily sold to the highest bidder,” Akpata said. “This election has shown that our political landscape is controlled not by the people’s will but by those with the deepest pockets.”
Akpata was especially scathing in his assessment of the PDP, accusing the opposition party of complicity in the flawed process. He said the PDP’s grievances after losing to the APC rang hollow, as they had willingly engaged in the same vote-buying tactics.
“I hold no sympathy for the PDP, who now cry foul after being outmaneuvered in this macabre game. They were fully aware of the rules from the beginning and participated in the bidding war with the APC,” he said.
As for the APC and the newly elected Governor, Monday Okpebholo, Akpata warned that their victory was tainted by their actions, which he said had betrayed the trust of the people and eroded public faith in the electoral system.
“The APC has secured a mandate that is ill-gotten, one that rides on the back of corruption and manipulation. Their grab-and-run approach to governance will ultimately be their undoing,” Akpata predicted.
He urged Edo residents to reflect on the state of democracy in the country, emphasizing that the current system, where financial power determines electoral outcomes, was far from the democratic ideal.
“As we stand at this critical moment in Edo’s history, we must ask ourselves: Is this the democracy we envisioned? Is this the legacy we want for our children? What we have now is not democracy, but plutocracy—rule by wealth,” Akpata concluded.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Akpata reaffirmed his commitment to fighting for a more just and transparent political system in Edo State, calling on citizens to stay engaged in the process and continue pushing for reform.
