A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (NCSSR) has raised concerns over voter inducement during the September 21 Edo State governorship election.

The group revealed that there were widespread instances of vote buying and selling across several polling units, despite the heavy presence of security personnel.

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In a statement co-signed by Yunusa Z. Ya’u, Mimidoo Achakpa, and Franklin Oloniju, the Situation Room reported that votes were purchased for amounts ranging from ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 in multiple locations, including PU08 and PU09, Ward 2 in Owan-East LGA; PU02, Ward 2 in Etsako-West LGA; as well as polling units in Egor, Oredo, and Owan-West LGAs.

Additionally, some voters were reportedly induced with food items, such as bread.

The CSOs also acknowledged the arrest of two individuals allegedly involved in vote trading at George Idah Primary School, Ward 2, Oredo Local Government Area.

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Despite these concerns, the Situation Room praised the overall peaceful conduct of voters and encouraged them to maintain calm throughout the electoral process.

The coalition comprises various CSOs, including Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), YIAGA Africa, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), and several others dedicated to monitoring and ensuring transparency in the election process.

In a dramatic turn of events, Governor Godwin Obaseki was escorted out of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin by a team of police officers led by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Frank Mba, around 4:10 am.

Governor Obaseki had reportedly entered the INEC premises unannounced at approximately 2:00 am to protest perceived irregularities in the collation of results from several local government areas, including his own, Oredo.

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INEC officials, however, informed him that he had no right to be there, just as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, had been turned away earlier. Despite this, Obaseki insisted on staying.

By 3:00 am, a joint security force, including police and soldiers, arrived on the scene. At 4:10 am, Governor Obaseki was escorted out, with security personnel urging him to leave the premises, shouting, “Leave, leave.”

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Prior to his removal, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, addressed the media, stating that Obaseki had no legitimate reason to be at the INEC office. Basiru accused the governor of abusing his office, noting, “He is not a candidate. He has no reason to be here.”

Tensions further escalated around 3:30 am when APC members, led by Monday Okpebholo’s running mate, Honourable Dennis Idahosa, staged a protest demanding the governor’s exit from the INEC premises.

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Idahosa, standing outside the gate, loudly called for Obaseki’s removal, insisting that the governor was not authorized to be present.

Protesters repeatedly tried to force their way into the INEC office, banging on the gate, but were blocked by security forces, preventing them from gaining entry.

The incident has added another layer of tension to the ongoing election process in Edo State.

The Action Peoples Party (APP) has vowed to challenge the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed its lawsuit against the defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The court ruled that the lawmakers’ decampment was a pre-election matter, a decision APP strongly rejects.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Chairman, Barr. Uche Nnadi, APP expressed its dissatisfaction with the ruling and confirmed its intention to appeal the decision at a higher court.

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Nnadi argued that the court’s verdict contradicts the constitution.

“If the court classifies this as a pre-election issue, how can someone who hasn’t even been elected yet switch political parties? This defies logic,” Nnadi stated.

The party is already in the process of filing an appeal, asserting that the constitution does not recognize decampment as a pre-election issue. “No court has validated the defection of these lawmakers. They can’t bypass the system through loopholes, and we are determined to challenge this ruling,” Nnadi added.

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The APP insists that the judgment will be contested, as the party seeks to uphold constitutional principles and prevent what it describes as an unjust decampment by the lawmakers.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken an early lead in the ongoing collation of results for the Edo State governorship election, as results from several polling units across the state continue to trickle in.

According to early reports from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the APC candidate is showing strong performances in key local government areas, particularly in Edo North and parts of Edo South, where voter turnout has been notably high.

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Election observers on the ground have reported a relatively peaceful election day, although minor skirmishes and delays were recorded in some areas due to technical issues with the BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) machines.

In several polling units, voting extended beyond the scheduled time due to late arrival of electoral materials.

Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is still holding its ground in parts of Edo Central, with its candidate receiving significant support in localities known for backing the party in previous elections.

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As INEC officials continue to collate results at local government headquarters, both the APC and PDP camps have expressed confidence in their chances of emerging victorious.

However, INEC has warned against premature declarations, urging the public to await the official announcement of results.

Political analysts suggest that the election will likely come down to a few battleground local governments, with voter turnout and the performance of smaller parties playing a key role in determining the final outcome.

The collation process is expected to continue into the night, with INEC planning to release preliminary results in stages as counting concludes in each local government area.

Political parties in Enugu State, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Labour Party (LP), raised serious concerns on Saturday regarding the absence of crucial result sheets at various polling units during the Enugu local government elections.

According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), tensions flared when officials from the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) arrived at polling stations after 9:40 a.m. without result sheets, a key document for the voting process.

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At polling units 008, 020, 003, 002, and 001 in Christ Church, Enugu South Council, party agents from APC and LP refused to allow voting to proceed, demanding that the missing result sheets be provided before any election could begin.

One Labour Party agent, speaking anonymously, revealed, “All materials were delivered except the result sheets. The Supervisory Presiding Officer claimed she had the results but would only present them later in the day for the Presiding Officer to record the scores.”

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An APC agent echoed the same concern, insisting, “No election will take place without result sheets being available.”

The Acting Chairman of APGA in Enugu State, Mr. Ekene Uzodimma, highlighted similar issues in Awgu Ward Nine, where election materials arrived late and without the required result sheets.

By 11 a.m., many polling units in the ward had not yet received any materials.

In Trans-Ekulu Ward, APGA Councillor Mr. Okeke Fidelis confirmed that no election materials had reached his ward.

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Another APGA collation agent, Uche, reported being blocked from entering the collation center at Enugu North Council Area, with only PDP agents allegedly being granted access.

APGA’s chairmanship candidate in Udi Council Area, Mr. Chukwuemeka Ochi, reported significant delays as many polling units in the area were still awaiting the arrival of election materials by mid-morning.

NAN’s observations at multiple polling units in Enugu South revealed a low voter turnout, potentially influenced by the disorganization and absence of key materials.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has emerged victorious in his polling unit during the ongoing Edo State governorship election.

At Ward 10, Polling Unit 1 in Etsako West Local Government Area, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, garnered 403 votes, while Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) managed to get just one vote. Surprisingly, Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party failed to make an impact, with no votes recorded in his favor. Instead, the Action Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate claimed one vote.

Oshiomhole cast his ballot at the polling unit, securing a solid lead in the race.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun uploading results from the ongoing Edo State governorship election to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

According to the portal, 3,540 out of 4,519 polling unit results have been uploaded, marking a progress rate of 78.34 percent.

Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State, had earlier assured that the election results would be transmitted electronically.

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In an interview with Arise Television on Saturday, Onuoha explained that the only potential challenge to the electronic transmission of results was poor network connectivity.

However, he emphasized that contingency measures had been put in place to address any disruptions.

He also highlighted the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to verify the identity of voters and determine the total number of voters at each polling station.

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“You know that we have 4,519 polling units across the 18 local governments, and so far we have deployed 4,622 BVAS to the various local governments. And we also have a backup of 660 BVAS,” Onuoha stated.

He went on to say, “We have trained operators for the BVAS. They are ready. The BVAS will accredit the voters, to determine the total number of voters at that polling unit. After accreditation, voting will commence. Once the votes are counted, the results will be uploaded to our IReV.”

Onuoha concluded by reassuring the public that the election would be conducted in a transparent manner. “Rest assured that we’ll conduct an election that we can call our own,” he added.

In the ongoing Edo governorship election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) managed to secure a single vote at Unit 03, Ward 1, Uwessan, Esan Central Local Government Area, where Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, cast his vote.

Before voting, Okpebholo confidently declared that the PDP would not receive any votes at his polling unit.

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“PDP or whatever will not get one vote here because this is my home and my people love me,” he had boasted.

However, when the votes were counted, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP garnered one vote. Okpebholo led the results with 102 votes, while Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party and Ighodalo each received a vote.

Following the results, Okpebholo praised INEC’s conduct during the election. “What I’m seeing here is like a testimony that INEC is getting it right,” he stated.

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When asked about the security situation during the election, the APC candidate dismissed concerns of unrest, saying, “I know that everything they are saying about security – this, that – is ‘hyping’. I mean nothing is happening. You can see! Nobody is fighting. No knockout, no stick of matches. So is just for people to scare people away from voting.”

He further criticized the actions of the current Edo governor, claiming, “You know Obaseki wanted to cause fire in Edo state but by the grace of God everything is moving perfect.”

On the eve of the election, the APC had confirmed Okpebholo as their candidate in the race.

With past elections in Nigeria marred by violence, controversies, and logistical challenges, all eyes are on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and other security agencies as Edo State heads to the polls today for its 2024 governorship election.

The expectation is that these agencies will ensure a credible and peaceful process amidst concerns from political parties and civil society groups.

Frontline contenders

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo has accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) of leveraging federal power and police influence to gain an upper hand in the election.

The PDP has raised alarms over the arrest of its members across the state and called on the Inspector-General of Police to release those arrested and halt what it considers harassment of its supporters.

The party also demanded the redeployment of the Edo State Commissioner of Police and the Resident Electoral Commissioner due to their alleged ties to former Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike.

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On the other hand, the APC has demanded the arrest of individuals involved in the killing of a police officer during the campaign period.

The party insists that those responsible are still walking free, even as it claims the police are arresting innocent individuals.

Yiaga Africa, an election monitoring group, has raised concerns about possible violence in eight Local Government Areas (LGAs), citing the tense political climate and economic hardship as contributing factors.

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The group also highlighted the likelihood of voter inducement and vote-buying.

INEC is under pressure to deliver a credible election, especially following criticism of its handling of past polls. Several off-cycle governorship elections in states like Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi in 2023 were marked by irregularities.

The commission has promised to conduct a transparent process, but questions remain about its ability to deploy materials on time, manage logistics, and ensure that votes are counted fairly.

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As voters in Edo cast their ballots, both INEC and the security forces must ensure that the election proceeds without incidents of violence, intimidation, or manipulation.

The Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit on Friday aimed at replacing 27 lawmakers from the Rivers State House of Assembly, who were alleged to have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Lifu ruled that the lawsuit, filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) and marked as FHC/ABJ/CR/978/2024, was statute-barred, as it was submitted outside the 14-day window allowed by law after the alleged defection, which took place on December 12, 2023.

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The APP had filed the originating summons on July 12, 2024, seeking declarations from the court regarding the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the seats of the defected lawmakers vacant and to conduct by-elections.

The plaintiffs contended that INEC’s failure to hold by-elections was unlawful and unconstitutional, asking the court to direct the commission to conduct elections within seven days to fill the vacant seats.

However, Justice Lifu concluded that the suit was initiated eight months after the cause of action arose, rendering it statute-barred.

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He characterized the action as a “gross abuse of the court process,” noting that similar cases regarding the alleged defection had already been adjudicated by other judges in the Federal High Court.

Previous judgments, including those by Justices James Omotosho and Donatus Okorowo, had rejected requests to replace the lawmakers, citing insufficient evidence of defection.

Justice Lifu referred to Justice Omotosho’s ruling, which had prohibited INEC from declaring the lawmakers’ seats vacant and from conducting any fresh elections.

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Since the earlier judgments had not been overturned or appealed, they remained binding.

Justice Lifu remarked that it would be inappropriate for him to act as an appellate court over the same matter and thus dismissed the suit based on three key grounds: it failed on merit, was statute-barred, and constituted an abuse of court process.

Out of the 29 defendants listed, INEC, the PDP, and the 27 lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, were represented, with 14 lawmakers present in court to observe the proceedings.

Henry Odili represented the plaintiff, while Ken Njemanze (SAN), Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), and B. F. Folorunsho represented various defendants.