Whoever wins Saturday’s governorship election between the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asuerimen Ighodalo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), Monday Okpebhole, may not have won on his true popularity or the acceptability of his political party.
The eventual winner would have capitalised on the ravaging hunger and poverty among the people, as well as power, to swing victory to his side.
Saturday’s exercise, which many had feared could be bloody, however, turned out to be peaceful, with voters defying the heavy downpour that started around 10 a.m. to cast their votes. The heavy downpour, which lasted for about three hours, was observed in the Edo Central and South areas.
But as early as 7:30 a.m., supporters of various political party candidates, especially the APC and PDP, began arriving at the polling units with all manner of cooked foods, such as rice and noodles.
Added to the cooked foods was money meant to buy votes, which was actually deployed to procure votes from eligible voters who needed the cash to address challenges at home.
The way the supporters offering money for votes operated in the election was by waiting for willing voters a few metres away from the polling units and making offers to pay them if they produced evidence that they voted for a particular political party.
Indeed, many voters willingly succumbed and voted under the influence of money or food, with the belief that votes have rarely determined the real winner of elections.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR), while confirming the development, stated that “the price for votes ranged from N5,000 to N10,000 per voter in several locations.”
It listed such locations as “PU 08 and 09, Ward 2, Owan East LGA; PU 02, Ward 2, Etsako-West LGA; and several polling units in Egor, Oredo, and Owan-West LGAs,” adding that “in some cases, voters were also induced with food items such as bread and Gala.”
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) took the matter further, alleging that both the PDP and APC engaged in vote buying.
In its preliminary report on the election, it stated that there was widespread vote-buying by agents of the two major parties, stressing that they paid between N5,000 and N10,000.
It said: “In Edo Central, incidents of vote buying were observed in Orhionmwon LGA, Ward 10, polling unit 014; Esan Central, Ward 5, unit 4 at Eguare Primary School; and Esan North East, Ward 5, Uromi, involving both the APC and PDP.
“It was observed that the APC and PDP offered between N5,000 and N10,000 in exchange for votes. The same was observed in Esan West LGA, Ward 6, Central Primary School, Iruekpen Ekpoma, PU 004. Observers reported that this practice contributed to an increase in voter turnout as news of the financial incentives spread among the electorate. At Ward 5, polling unit 4, Awo Primary School, account numbers of voters were collated after voting for a particular party.
“In Edo South, incidents of vote buying were also reported at Oredo Local Government Area, Ward 12, Ibiwe/Iwegie/Ugbague at Ibiwe 1, Oba Market, where PDP and LP officials were particularly identified as trying to induce voters. Of note was the attempt by some agents to engage with voters who spoke in Hausa in an effort to engage the Hausa community in the area.”
At about 10 a.m. on Saturday, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested some vote buyers in the Etsako area and took them to their office for questioning.
Around Girls Secondary School, Oredo, The Guardian observed that some eligible voters, who initially tried to stay away from voting, rushed to their voting units upon learning that cooked food and money were being shared.
Mr. Mathew Osunibo narrated how he missed the money and food at his polling unit in Oredo.
“I discovered that somebody was signalling me when I entered the polling unit, but I ignored the person and went straight to where I was meant to vote. It did not take two minutes for me to trace my number and present myself for capturing and actual voting. I finished voting and went to respond to the call, only for the lady to say that she actually wanted to see me before voting, but that since I had voted, it was no longer useful. She said it and walked away.
“I had gone to one of the spots where food was being served because I was hungry. I tried to order some food, but the lady told me that the food was not for sale but added that for her to serve me, instruction must come from the same lady I had met earlier. It was at this point that I realised what was going on,” he said.
Mrs. Silver John said, however, that she collected food from one of the agents but still voted according to her conscience.
Showing her pack of cooked rice to The Guardian, she added, “The money used in cooking is our money that they refused to give to us. They saw me voting, but they didn’t know whom I voted for. They made us poor and turned back to start giving us money and food at the point of voting. I pity those people who fell into this trap because of hunger and poverty.”
She added that unless the trend is tackled, “the way things are going, very soon Nigerians may no longer go to vote unless there is money and other inducements attached to it.”