The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the just concluded Edo Governorship election, Olumide Akpata on monday, said what transpired on 21st September 2024 was not an election but a transaction stressing that it was voter buying and selling by both the APC and PDP.
Akpata also said it was nevertheless marred by voters intimidation and the falsification of results.
Briefing newsmen in Benin on the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election, Akpata said, although the election was largely free from historical forms of election-day malpractice such as ballot box snatching and stuffing, it was nevertheless marred by voter intimidation and the falsification of results.
He lamented a widespread vote-buying scheme by both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Akpata said the Labour Party steadfastly refused to engage in the cash and carry approach as it did not budget to compete with the two political parties, whose Governors perhaps may have dipped their hands into the States treasuries to provide the war chest for the show of shame.
“Even if we had the resources, we lacked the incination 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 poling unit. But that is not the path we chose.
“Instead, we remained faithful to our brief in the sanctity of the ballot and the inalienable right of our people to freely choose their leaders without coercion
inducement. This was not political naivety, but a testament to our
unwavering commitment to true democracy—where a vote’s value lies in its power to effect change, not in the amount of Naira it can command.
“We reserve our strongest condemnation for those who engaged in vote buying: the APC and PDP. Their actions have directly contributed to the destruction of our state’s economy over the past 25 years, creating the enabling environment for this democratic sacrilege to thrive. This election has laid bare the stark reality that our political landscape is dominated not by ideologies or the people’s will, but by those with the deepest pockets and the most extensive networks of influence.
“I hold no sympathy for the PDP, who now cry foul after being outmaneuvered in this macabre game of thrones. They willingly participated in the bidding war with the APC, fully aware of the rules from the outset. Their lamentations
ring hollow in the face of their own complicity in this democratic travesty.” Akpata said.
Akpata added that for the APC and the Governor-elect, their actions have undermined the democratic process, betrayed the trust of the very people they seek to lead,
and eroded faith in the democratic institutions.
According to him, This is the legacy that will overshadow their ill-gotten mandate. Their “grab, snatch, and run” playbook is akin to riding on the back of a tiger and will ultimately be the source of their
undoing.
He pledged to remain committed to providing services to the people despite the outcome of the election, saying, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to building a democracy that works
for all, not just the highest bidder.
” We continue to envision an Edo State, and a Nigeria, where ideas triumph over Naira, where the collective will of the people shapes our future, and where every citizen feels the impact of good
governance in their daily lives.
“To achieve this vision, we must push for comprehensive electoral reform. We need to leverage technology to create foolproof systems that make vote buying not just difficult but impossible. We must aso address the root causes
that make our people susceptible to vote-selling.
“This means creating economic opportunities, improving education, and building a society where citizens do not feel compelled to mortgage their future for immediate gains.”Akpata said.