Benin, Edo State — Mr. Kelly Ogbalo, Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Edo State, has asserted that his party would have won the recent governorship election if it had been conducted fairly. Speaking to reporters in Benin, Ogbalo criticized the electoral process, alleging significant irregularities that undermined the integrity of the election.
Ogbalo specifically pointed to instances of open vote-buying and the failure of security agencies to intervene effectively. He stated, “Labour Party won the election but was not allowed to take possession. The election was marred by serious irregularities. There was open vote buying, and the security agencies failed to check this anomaly.”
The Labour Party leader emphasized that the manipulations and vote-buying practices distorted the true outcome of the election, questioning the legitimacy of the results.
When asked about the possibility of challenging the election results in court, Ogbalo mentioned that the party had not yet convened a state council meeting to discuss their next steps.
On September 22, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the election, with a total of 291,667 votes. He defeated Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,274 votes.
As discussions continue around the election’s integrity, the Labour Party’s position remains pivotal in determining the next steps regarding potential legal action.
