Peter Obi, a chieftain of the Labour Party and former presidential candidate, has strongly condemned the recent governorship election in Edo State, labeling it a “blatant example of state capture” and raising serious concerns about Nigeria’s democratic process.
In a post on his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Obi criticized the election, which saw the emergence of Monday Okpebholo from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor-elect. Obi argued that the outcome of the election did not reflect the principles of democracy, suggesting that the exercise was marred by rigging and manipulation.
“This election does not in any way represent the democratic ideals we have chosen for selecting our leaders,” Obi said. “Instead, it was a blatant example of state capture and continued gross undermining of our democratic process and values.”
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Obi’s comments came amid a flurry of accusations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has been accused of rigging the election in favor of the ruling APC. Several political observers and opposition groups claim that the electoral body failed to conduct a free and fair election, raising doubts about the transparency of the process.
Critics argue that INEC’s role in overseeing the election was compromised, with allegations of vote buying, intimidation, and tampering with results during the collation process.
Obi voiced his concerns about the implications of such an election on Nigeria’s future, noting that any nation with a flawed leadership recruitment process is bound for failure.
“We are already witnessing the effects of this deeply flawed system in our country,” he added. Obi’s frustration reflects a growing sentiment among many Nigerians who have lost faith in the electoral system, especially with the repeated use of state power to manipulate outcomes.
The former Anambra State governor also urged those in positions of authority to rectify the situation rather than rely on a rigged process to remain in power. He pointed to the investments made in electoral technologies like the Integrated Real-time Election Viewing (IReV) platform and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which he said should have guaranteed a credible election.
“We have invested significantly in IReV and BVAS, and they must be allowed to function properly to free our electoral process from the massive falsifications that have plagued it,” Obi asserted.
In a stern rebuke to those involved in the alleged manipulation, Obi addressed officials and individuals who are accused of undermining democracy, cautioning them about the future repercussions of their actions.
“Remember, your time in office is not eternal, and the society you are helping to destroy today will eventually take its revenge on you,” Obi said in a warning that the damage being done to the nation’s democratic fabric would affect future generations, including the children of those complicit.
The Labour Party chieftain also had strong words for lecturers and other public servants allegedly involved in the process.
“To the lecturers and others complicit in perpetuating this charade, you must reflect deeply on the roles you are playing in damaging the very foundation of our democracy,” Obi urged, noting that such actions would inevitably have a lasting negative impact.
In a pointed reminder, Obi called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to uphold democratic principles, noting that the manipulation of elections has no place in a true democracy.
“This kind of action has no place in a true democracy. That is why I have always maintained that today’s politics is not about capturing power, but about saving the country and making it work for everyone, regardless of their background,” he said.
Yiaga Africa’s Report
Supporting Obi’s concerns, civil society organization Yiaga Africa released a damning report, calling the Edo governorship election a failure in terms of integrity. The organization, which deployed a comprehensive observation mission to monitor the election, noted several inconsistencies in the collation process and suggested that the results had been tampered with at various levels.
In a statement co-signed by Samson Itodo, Yiaga Africa’s executive director, and Aisha Abdullahi, chairperson of the 2024 Edo election mission, the group revealed that discrepancies were found between the official results announced by INEC and the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) estimates provided by their observers.
“Based on reports from 287 of 300 (96%) sampled polling units, Yiaga Africa’s statistical analysis shows inconsistencies in the official results announced by INEC,” the statement read.
In particular, Yiaga highlighted irregularities in the results from Oredo, Egor, and Esan West Local Government Areas (LGAs), suggesting that the figures for both the APC and other parties fell outside the predicted estimates, indicating possible manipulation.
Yiaga Africa also condemned the actions of certain INEC officials and security personnel, accusing them of interfering with the collation process. The organization pointed to disruptions in Ikpoba/Okha, Etsako West, Egor, and Oredo LGAs, which it said created opportunities for electoral manipulation, raising significant doubts about the credibility of the final results.
““Yiaga Africa strongly condemns the actions of some biased INEC officials who altered figures during collation including the actions of some security officials who interfered with the collation process,” the statement read.
Yiaga also Africa noted that INEC’s estimates for voter turnout and rejected ballots were consistent with their own observations. However, the overall turnout, at 22.4%, was significantly lower than the 27% recorded in the 2020 election, reflecting declining voter confidence in the electoral process.
In response to the findings, Yiaga Africa called for an immediate investigation into the actions of polling officials and collation officers involved in manipulating results. The group also urged INEC to clarify the discrepancies in the results, particularly those from Oredo, Egor, and Esan West LGAs, to restore public trust in the electoral process.
The credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system has remained under scrutiny since 2015 when the ruling APC came to power. With accusations of rigging, manipulation, and the undermining of democratic institutions, the Edo governorship election is believed to have once again, brought to the fore the critical need for electoral reforms in the country.
Political observers and civil society groups have continued to call for a more transparent and accountable process to restore public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.