The Labour Party in Edo State has revealed why it lost the recent governorship election in the state.
The party has alleged that the party would have emerged victorious if the election had been conducted fairly and freely.
Mr. Kelly Ogbalo, Chairman of the Labour Party in Edo State, made this disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin.
According to Ogbalo, the election was marred by serious irregularities, including open vote-buying that security agencies failed to check.
“Labour Party won the election but was not allowed to take possession,” Ogbalo stated, attributing the loss to widespread electoral malpractices.
“The election was marred with serious irregularities; there was open vote-buying. The security agencies failed to check this anomaly,” Ogbalo alleged.
“So, in such a way where votes were bought and with manipulation of results here and there, what do you expect?”
Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party’s candidate, secured 22,763 votes, coming third behind Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, who polled 291,667 votes, and Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, who scored 247,274 votes.
When asked if the Labour Party would challenge the result in court, Ogbalo revealed that the party had yet to convene a state council meeting to decide on the matter.
