Olumide Akpata: What transpired in Edo was not an election — but a bidding war for votes

Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the Edo governorship election, says Saturday’s poll in the state “was not an election but a transaction”.

Akpata alleged widespread vote-buying by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election.

On Sunday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the election.

Okpebholo polled 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, who got 247,274 votes.

Akpata came a distant third with 22,763 votes.

On Monday, Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation (CSO), said the election failed the integrity test and the collation process was marred by inconsistencies, which suggests vote manipulation.

‘A BIDDING WAR FOR VOTES’

In a statement on Monday, Akpata said the election was “marred by voter intimidation and the falsification of results”.

Akpata said he has no sympathy for the PDP in its complaints about electoral malpractice during the poll, noting that the party “willingly participated in the bidding war with the APC, fully aware of the rules from the outset”.

“However, 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),” Akpata said.

“As attested to by YIAGA Africa, a leading civil society organisation 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 Ede State.

“Let us be clear: what transpired on 21 September 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 afford a significant majority of the few votes on offer, and by those who came out and willingly sold their votes.

“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 implored you to reflect deeply on the consequences of your actions, to recognise that your vote is the legacy you bequeath to future generations.

“At the end, it became painfully clear that we did not have the people, as many, including some Labour Party faithfuls and agents, willingly sold their future for peanuts to the very political parties whose actions and policies have impoverished them.

“Now, we have unwittingly instituted a collegiate system of government comprising godfathers, surrogate governors, and other forces within and outside the state who hope to puppeteer the governor-elect. The implications of this for Edo State’s development are dire.

“We face the prospect of continued underdevelopment, misallocation of resources, and governance that serves the interests of a few rather than the needs of the many.

“We must now live with these consequences for years to come. Our campaign steadfastly refused to engage in this cash-and-carry approach.

“We did not budget to compete with the two political parties whose governors perhaps may have dipped their hands into their states’ treasuries to provide the war chest for this show of shame.

“Even if we had the resources, we lacked the inclination to participate in such a perversion of democracy. Nothing illustrates this principle more clearly than the loss of my own polling unit.

“If I were so inclined, I could have easily mustered enough cash to secure enough votes to win my polling unit.”