Today, over 2 million registered voters in Edo state will file out to cast their ballots to elect the next helmsman to occupy the Osadebay House. The flagbearers of the leading three parties in today’s contest are Asue Ighodalo of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP). There are 15 other parties in the mix.
The PDP had a firm grip on the state when the country returned to democratic governance in 1999. But an obscure Labour Party ended its monopoly when Adam Oshiomhole steamrolled his way to power in 2008 in what was regarded as an unprecedented political upset in the state and governed till 2016.
The road to the Edo 2024 has been signposted with acrimony, bad blood and sabre-rattling. The ruling party led by the incumbent governor and other chieftains have been relentless in throwing accusations around and expressing their doubts about the credibility of today’s exercise. As it is typical of our politicians during electoral contests, there are mutual suspicions as to whether or not the exercise would be free, fair and credible. Security operatives assigned to secure the exercise are usually suspected to take sides with one party or the other, especially the candidate belonging to the party at the centre, in the eternal plots to rig elections.
In particular, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has been tarred with the brush of partiality in the build-up to today’s exercise. Being an off-circle election, the police have been able to deploy over 35,000 of its personnel to ensure security of the exercise. This is in addition to pumping over 6,000 officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) into the state as a guarantee for law and order.
By banning the participation of the Edo state-run security corps from having anything to do with the exercise, Egbetokun is seen as emasculating the ruling party in the state from having any security window during the poll. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, is also not spared of the accusation of working covertly for the APC to capture power in the state. He was alleged to have released a whopping $2 million to the APC candidate to prosecute his election. The NSA has not only denied the allegation but also asked his attorneys to institute a suit against his accusers, claiming N10 billion as damages.
The tension and suspicions got to a point that the Peace Accord which has been a critical layer of our pre-election tradition, overseen by the Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar’s committee, was spurned by the ruling PDP. A miffed Governor Godwin Obaseki was quoted as saying that given the perceived bias by the police authorities in Abuja, a credible exercise would be doubtful and swore that the poll would be a do-or-die.
In today’s poll, as with similar ones in the past, all eyes will be on the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to deliver a free, fair and credible exercise. An assurance to that effect has been given repeatedly by the Chairman of the INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during his series of meetings with political parties and stakeholders in the run-up to the contest.
It is gratifying to note that the INEC has put in place all the machineries needed to ensure a credible and hitch-free exercise. Incidents of vote-buying, an unfortunate layer of our electoral contests, has remained a monster that is almost impossible to tame. With the present hardship prevalent in the country, many voters are likely to place emphasis on what comes into their pockets than electing a candidate that will deliver. This is one challenge the INEC and security agents must confront head on.
Yiaga Africa, a leading electoral watcher, raised an alarm two days ago about the plague of vote-buying which has allegedly been perfected by contesting parties. It also expressed worries over possible security breaches ahead and during the exercise. It is imperative for the IGP Egbetokun to rise to the challenge to ensure that his men do not compromise the exercise. By so doing, he will be proving his critics wrong. This aligns with the flow of ensuring that “his men do not compromise the exercise’.
Also worthy of note is the assurance given by the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, that all the police personnel assigned to the exercise would be closely monitored to ensure that they conduct themselves professionally.
We urge the electorate, party agents, etc., to adhere to the INEC’s guidelines in order to have a peaceful exercise. Security agents should be on a red alert to forestall any possible breakdown of law and order, resulting from disruption of voting, snatching of ballot boxes, manhandling and even kidnapping of electoral officials.
Without a doubt, all eyes will be on Edo state and its citizens. Blueprint wishes all the electorate, the INEC and the stakeholders a peaceful and hitch-free exercise.
