The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, winner of the just-concluded governorship election in Edo State. INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, announced the results, saying Obaseki of PDP polled 307,955 votes to defeat his closest rival, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 223,619 votes. Rim-Rukeh, while declaring Obaseki winner, said the incumbent governor was returned elected after satisfying all legal requirements. Obaseki of PDP ran against APC standard-bearer, Ize-Iyamu and 13 others that participated.
Unfortunately, APC in Edo State has alleged foul play in the election. The Chairman of the APC Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, said “the party rejects the result”, citing alleged “strong-arm tactics”. The party also claimed that there was an arbitrary arrest of local party members, reported cases of ballot snatching in one of the wards, and an alleged kidnap of an APC agent. PDP agent at some of the collation centres also called for the cancellation of the election, saying that in Esako West, there was the case of over-voting. Similarly, the two major political parties had on several occasions accused each other of importing thugs and purchasing arms to be used to disrupt the election. INEC had threatened that it would not hesitate to stop the election mid-way if there was violence.
The wife of an APC local government chairman was allegedly beaten up by suspected political thugs. The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, alleged that the “APC lions and tigers” invaded Urhonigbe North and South wards. Some PDP thugs were said to have besieged the two wards while voting was in full swing, shooting directly at the people, two of whom were consequently hit in the process. A former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, alleged foul play in the election as some card readers allegedly malfunctioned and delayed voting while former APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole that many smart card readers were not working before the election. Similarly, the two major political parties had on several occasions accused each other of importing thugs and purchasing arms to be used to disrupt the election, as the wife of an APC local government chairman was also beaten up by suspected political thugs.
The PDP and the APC have been trading blame as violence erupted in some parts of the state during the election. The PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, alleged that the “APC lions and tigers” invaded Urhonigbe North and South wards. PDP thugs allegedly besieged the two wards while voting was in full swing, shooting directly at the people, two of whom were consequently hit in the process while many were injured in the ensuing melee. A former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, alleged foul play in the election as some card readers allegedly malfunctioned and delayed voting while former APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole that many smart card readers were not working before the election. INEC had threatened that it would not hesitate to stop the election mid-way if there was violence as suspected thugs entered a voting centre and ordered all voters out at gunpoint.
Before the election, INEC had expressed concerns over what it described as “ugly reports” of violence coming from politicians in the state. The commission had summoned the campaign council of political parties and candidates over the threat of violence, just as the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had ordered the restriction of vehicular movement in Edo State as part of efforts by the police to ensure orderliness and safety. The IGP said the restriction order was informed by the need to checkmate the movement of political thugs and other criminally-minded individuals from hijacking and disrupting the election. Against the nationwide apprehension that the governorship election could be marred by large scale violence, the election held peacefully in most parts of the state, save for disruptions recorded in few Local Government Areas. The fear of violence during and after the election had prompted the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, to summon the candidates of the APC and PDP to his palace.
In a similar vein, the National Peace Committee, headed by a former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar, intervened in a state election against its usual practice of intervening in presidential polls. As INEC prepares for the Ondo State Governorship election, come October 10, it should have learned some lessons from the Edo State. For instance, INEC should encourage more voters to participate in elections. Out of the 1.72 million persons that were eligible to vote, only 1,726,738 collected their Permanent Voter Cards that were held in 18 councils, 192 wards, and 2,627 polling units in Edo State. Factors that could ignite violence should be avoided going by the fact that fire recently gutted the Ondo State Office of INEC, which destroyed Smart Card Readers and some items. The Ondo guber poll should certainly be an improvement over that of Edo State.
