Labour Party (LP) chieftain Peter Obi has slammed the conduct of the Edo State governorship election, calling it a blatant example of ‘state capture’.
Obi said this on Monday in a post on his X account after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Monday Okpebholo winner of the election.
“What happened over the weekend in the name of election in Edo State does not in any way represent the democratic process we chose as a method of electing our political leadership,” he said.
“Instead, it was a blatant example of ‘state capture’ and continued gross undermining of our democratic process and values.
“Any nation whose leadership recruitment process is so fatally flawed is doomed, and we are all seeing the effect in our country.
“I urge those in authority not to allow this situation to stand, or depend on it to remain in power.”
Obi said as a country, Nigeria has invested significantly in IReV and BVAS, and they must be allowed to function and used properly in order to free our electoral process from the massive falsification that has plagued it and worsening.
He urged the agencies and individuals being used to undermine Nigeria’s democracy simply because they hold positions of authority, to please remember that their time in office is not eternal.
“The society that you are helping to destroy today will eventually take her revenge on you tomorrow,” he said.
“To the lecturers and others complicit in perpetuating this charade, you must reflect deeply on the roles you are playing in damaging the very foundation of our democracy.
“The damage you are causing today will inevitably take revenge on you tomorrow and affect your children in the future.”
Obi warned that this kind of action has no place in a true democracy, which is why he has always maintained that today’s politics is not about capturing power, but about saving the country and making it work for everyone, regardless of their background.
Okpebholo was declared the winner of the Edo governorship election by INEC after securing 291,667 votes.
PDP candidate Asue Ighodalo got 247,274 votes, while Labour Party’s Olumide Akpata was third with 22,763 votes.