The Labour Party members in the House of Representatives rejected the results of the Edo State governorship election, calling it a brazen theft of democracy.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) walked away with the prize, scoring 291,667 votes, leaving the Peoples Democratic Party’s Asue Ighodalo trailing with 247,274, while Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata was handed a mere 22,763 votes.
Now, Labour Party Reps, led by Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi, are not having any of it. In a press conference at the National Assembly Complex, Ozodinobi, speaking for 32 lawmakers, called the election a farce. Alleging that Akpata, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and supposedly the best candidate by miles, was “rigged out” by what he termed as “enemies of democracy.”
Ozodinobi’s fury was palpable. He pointed out how Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, campaigned like a man possessed, crisscrossing the state and drawing massive crowds that the APC could only dream of. Yet somehow, Akpata’s tally was embarrassingly low. “How does a party that won Senate and House seats in Edo just a year ago suddenly lose all support?” Ozodinobi questioned, hinting at foul play on a grand scale.
According to him, it was a classic case of vote-buying, voter intimidation, mass thumb printing, and pre-written election results. And who’s to blame? Ozodinobi had a long list: INEC officials, security agents, and of course, the faceless cabals behind the scenes, all working overtime to deliver victory to Okpebholo. INEC might as well have handed him the keys to Edo on a silver platter.
Despite all these allegations, when asked if the Labour Party had any evidence to back up their claims that Akpata actually won, Ozodinobi’s response was a classic politician’s dodge. “Be patient, we’ll take action soon,” he said, leaving everyone in suspense. No specifics, no proof, just a promise that something will happen eventually.
The Labour Party didn’t stop at just crying foul. They called on INEC to clean up their act before the 2027 elections. After all, according to Ozodinobi, the Obi-dient Movement is coming like a tsunami and “no person born of a woman” will be able to stop it.
In a final flourish of righteous indignation, Ozodinobi reaffirmed the Labour Party’s commitment to “democratic principles,” vowing to stand by the people of Edo State whose “votes were stolen” and whose “wishes were dashed.”
