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The recent Edo State governorship election has been met with a wave of criticism, as civil society organisations (CSOs), politicians, and other stakeholders have raised concerns over the credibility of the electoral process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been at the centre of this backlash, with various quarters accusing it of electoral misconduct and procedural lapses.
The fallout from this election could have significant implications for Nigeria's democratic process and the future of elections in the country.
INEC's Process Under Scrutiny
Civil society groups, including YIAGA Africa, have voiced serious concerns over INEC's management of the collation process.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, highlighted that despite INEC adhering to its guidelines during the voting process, the collation of results became problematic.
"There is a regression in the quality of our results management process," Itodo remarked, adding that "old tactics of election manipulation are resurfacing, and that is really sad."
Itodo pointed out that reports from observers indicated that INEC officials and observers were tear-gassed and intimidated during the collation.
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He added that results were sometimes collated in locations not designated by electoral guidelines, a major breach of protocol.
"This undermined the credibility of the results collation process," Itodo said, emphasising the need for INEC to address these issues to ensure the integrity of future elections.
Politicians React
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a former governorship aspirant of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, criticised the electoral process, describing elections as a referendum on the ruling party's performance and the opposition's effectiveness.
He lamented the internal divisions within the PDP, which he believes contributed to their loss.
"It is now clear that political leaders own the suffrage of their people at the grassroots. It is also clear that social media rants do not translate to boots on the ground," Showunmi remarked.
Showunmi encouraged the PDP's candidate, Asue Ighodalo, to remain committed despite the outcome, stating, "You fought a good fight, and I am proud. The tribunals will unravel the truth, for we cannot continue to have elections with queried integrity."
He further called for a post-mortem of the election, urging the PDP to unite ahead of future contests.
The Impact of Voter Manipulation
Patience Key, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) gubernatorial candidate, was among the politicians who questioned the authenticity of the results, arguing that they did not reflect the true will of the people.
"The communities that I went to, people want something different," she said.
Key expressed frustration over reports of vote-buying, where voters allegedly sold their votes for sums as low as ₦10,000.
"If you take ₦10,000 to change your vote, it now becomes your will to continue in impoverishment," Key lamented.
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She called for a change in Nigeria's electoral culture, stressing that poverty should not be a reason for compromising one's conscience during elections.
"₦20,000 is not going to last you the next four years," She noted, urging voters to make better decisions in the future.
Demand for Accountability
Beyond individual politicians, CSOs have collectively issued statements condemning the handling of the Edo election.
Jake Epelle, CEO of TAF Africa, criticised the logistical issues that plagued the election, particularly INEC's reliance on ineffective transportation unions.
"We keep having this logistical problem," Epelle said, adding that only about 45% of the electoral process was satisfactorily executed.
He also pointed out that the highest bidders seemed to dominate the election, with both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP being heavily involved in electoral misconduct.
"It's unfortunate that things are playing out the way they are," Epelle remarked, stressing the need for reforms in Nigeria's electoral process.
The Road Ahead
The fallout from the Edo election reflects a broader dissatisfaction with Nigeria's electoral system.
Despite promises of reform, issues such as vote-buying, result manipulation, and logistical inefficiencies continue to undermine the democratic process.
As Showunmi noted, "We cannot keep learning painful election lessons because we simply refuse to accept what is glaring."
As the country approaches the 2027 elections, pressure is mounting on INEC to address these flaws. Voters, politicians, and civil society are calling for a transparent and accountable system that truly reflects the people's will.