The Labour Party (LP) has rejected the local government election conducted in Edo state on Sunday, September 3rd, 2023.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the party described the polls as a “mockery of democracy.”
The polls conducted by the State Independent Electoral Commission (ESIEC) in Edo North, Edo Central, and Edo South senatorial districts were won by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in all 18 chairperson positions conducted.
Reacting, Obiora Ifoh, the LP national publicity secretary, in a statement on Sunday, called for the conduct of new LG polls in the state.
The LP alleged that electoral officers arrived late or did not show up at all in some polling units, adding that in some places where the election was held, insufficient ballot papers were provided.
“Reports from our agents across most of the polling units in the state confirmed that there were deliberate efforts by the EDSIEC to frustrate voters by ensuring that the electoral officers either arrived late at the polling units or didn’t show up at all,” the statement reads.
“In a few places where the election was held, insufficient ballot papers were provided with no single result sheet. But at the end of the day, results were announced with the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party declared as elected.
“Edo people and Nigerians deserve the best to represent them in government. What happened in Edo state was a mockery of democracy, and such must not be allowed to stand.
“We, therefore, call on the state government to also condemn the charade that happened on Saturday, denounce the outcome, and call for a fresh and credible election.”
The LP also called on the national assembly to abolish State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) across the country.
“State Independent Electoral Commissions across Nigeria have failed to help democracy grow. They are purely appendages of the state governments, and there is nothing independent about them,” the statement reads.
“We, therefore, call on the national assembly to abolish the commission and entrust the conduct of local government elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission for proper management.
“State Independent Electoral Commissions have become an embarrassment to democracy in Nigeria. It is, therefore, time to abolish them to restore sanity in our grassroots politics.”
The election was satisfactory to Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo. He added that he was surprised at the level of voter turnout despite the rain.
