Edo Council Election a Sham – Labour Leader …Ibadin Calls for Cancellation

Matilda Omonaiye/

Labour Party leaders in Edo have called for the cancellation of the September 2 council elections held in the state over widespread electoral malpractices.

Condemning the election as a sham, Labour Party Senatorial Leader in Edo Central, Chief Friday Toyin Ibadin, a retired Commissioner of Police told NewsmakersNG: “The just concluded local government election in Edo State on the 2nd September 2023 was a sham devoid of any element of credibility. Infact what we witnessed was a selection process which did not represent the general will of the people of Edo State. The election was flawed in all ramifications. I strongly call for its cancellation in the interest of democracy, justice and the rule of law.

“EDSIEC the body responsible for the conduct of the election in some cases arrived the polling booths when the electorates had gone home having waited endlessly without their arrival on schedule. In some cases ballot boxes were snatched and voters driven out of polling booths under severe threat and violence. Indeed, this cannot be called an election. They just allocated votes to PDP.”

The election was held in all the 18 local government areas of the state covering Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South senatorial districts where PDP candidates were declared winners amid protests.

Major political parties that participated in the election for Chairmanship and Councillorship of all the wards included the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Labour Party (LP).