NBA findings on Edo State Governorship Election.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has shared its findings on the Edo State governorship election, expressing concerns about low voter turnout and the influence of money on the process. The election, held last Saturday, saw Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared the winner, with 291,667 votes. He defeated Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who received 247,274 votes, and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, who finished third with 22,763 votes.

The NBA’s report highlighted issues such as delays in the voting process caused by logistical challenges. In some polling units, like Egor Ward I, no election materials or officials were present, preventing any voting activity. The NBA emphasized that this lack of preparedness needs to be addressed to ensure smoother future elections.

The report also observed instances of vote-buying, with political agents discreetly attempting to sway voters with monetary incentives. Despite efforts to curb this, money continues to undermine the fairness of Nigeria’s elections.

The NBA noted voter apathy, with a low turnout at polling stations compared to the number of registered voters. Additionally, while the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) worked effectively in most areas, there were technical issues in some polling units.

Overall, the NBA described the Edo state Governorship election as generally orderly, with commendable conduct from voters, election officials, and security personnel. The NBA recommended that INEC prioritize the timely deployment of materials and staff to avoid delays in future elections.