Politics
Inec And Edo Guber Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Mr Adams Oshiomhole of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the winner of the Edo governorship election, held on Saturday
The Returning Officer, Prof Osayuki Oshodi , who officially announced the result of the election at INEC headquarter in Benin, said Oshiomhole scored 477,478 votes to defeat five other candidates in the election.
Oshodi said Maj.-Gen.Charles Airhiavbere of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 144, 235 votes, while Chief Solomon Edebiri of All Nigeria Peoples Party scored 3,642 votes to come third.
He said Mr Roland Izeobuwe of Congress for Progressive Change came fourth with 2,793 votes and Mr Frank Ukonga of Social Democratic Movement Party followed with 807 votes.
Oshodi, who is the Vice-Chancellor of University of Benin, further announced that Mr Andrew Igwemoh of Labour Party scored 604 votes, while Mr Paul Orunmwese of National Conscience Party scored 540 votes in the contest,
He said that Oshiomhole, who is the incumbent, won in the 18 local government areas of the state and satisfied the requirements of the law to be declared winner of the contest.
“I, Prof Oshiodi as the returning officer, hereby certify that I was the returning officer of the July 14 governorship election and hereby declare that Oshiomhole having satisfied the requirement of the law and having scored the highest number of votes cast is hereby declared winner,’’ Oshodi declared.
Mainwhile, the Agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Martin Osakwe, in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo, has congratulated Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of ACN for his re-election.
Osakwe said in an interview with the Newsmen in Benin on Sunday that “as a person, I congratulate the declared winner. The party hierarchy will make a formal statement.’’
Osakwe commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a job well done and the security agents for their work in the election.
Residents of Benin City defied the morning rain and went into the streets in large numbers to jubilate over the re-election of the governor.
Jubilant crowds held brooms, the symbol of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), dancing and sweeping the streets.
Motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders, also displayed brooms as they made brisk businesses major streets of the city, shouting ‘Oshio Baba’ a pet name for the governor
Our political correspondent reports that Voters trooped in large numbers to polling centres across the state with some arriving at the polling centres as early as 6a.m.
CHAIRMAN of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, had onTuesday last week arrived Benin City, the Edo State capital, with the assurance that the commission was ready to conduct a free, fair and credible governorship election .
Jega, who during an interview with journalist at the airport, expressed the commission’s readiness to ensure that all the Commission’s plans were fine-tuned for the election .
Apart from the assurance of free and fair election in the state,he also held a meeting with the stakeholders and party leaders of the commission’s plans for the election.
According to him, “We are in Edo State in fulfillment of the promise that we made to Nigerians in general and the people of Edo State in particular to ensure [a] free, fair and credible election, we’ve been working day and night and we’ve been doing our best to ensure that there is indeed free, fair, peaceful and credible election in Edo State.
“Our mission is clear. I am here to see the last-minute preparations before the election on Saturday. I know we have done everything possible to ensure that we have a free fair, credible and peaceful election; but I am here to make sure that everything has been done as planned before the election on Saturday and also to meet, of course, with the stakeholders.
“Of course, we normally do that. Before elections, we meet with stakeholders; we brief them about our last-minute preparations and if they have any last-minute questions or complaints, we try to address them.”
The INEC boss dismissed allegations by some civil society organisations (CSOs) that the commission deliberately denied accreditation to local observers for the election, saying: “We have done everything possible as per the established rules and regulations to properly accredit observers in Edo State. We have used the same procedure we have used to accredit observers in all the elections we have held in INEC. Since the April 2011 elections, we have applied that criteria rigorously.
“We normally advertise and people are given time within which to apply. Anybody who did not apply within the time frame allocated will not be considered and that is what has happened in this regard. We did not deliberately exclude anybody. Anybody who has not been accredited to observe the Edo election and all other elections, it is because they have not satisfied the requirements for accreditation for the election.”
Jega further said: “We have had stories being bandied about saying that we did not accredit any Edo civil society [group] or organisation; that is false. We have accredited many Edo-based civil society organisations but some did not meet the requirement, either they did not apply in time or the criteria we set, they did not meet it.
“Anybody who did not comply with those criteria, we did not accredit. This is not the first time we are doing it. We have done it in all previous elections; we only accredit people who meet the criteria we have set for the election.”
Jega also said the court judgment barring the commission from the use of the collapsible transparent ballot boxes because of issues pertaining to patent rights would not in any way affect the conduct of the governorship election in the state.
“As far as we are concerned, the judgment that has been passed does not affect our preparations for the election in Edo State. The judgment was in respect of collapsible election boxes, which are totally different from the ones we are using for this election,” he added.
INEC before the election on Saturday deployed eight National Commissioners and 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to Edo State for governorship election in the state.
Governor Oshiomhole had earlier brandd the INEC and its Chairman,Prof.Attahiru Jega as an embarrasement to the nation.
The Governor who spoke with newsmen at Iyamho Primary School, Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government, wondered how a winner would emerge in an election that prevents qualified voters from exercising their fundamental rights.as he accused the commission for not bring voting materials on time in some local government Area for the election.
“He expressed disappointment with the manner INEC had handled the exercise, saying, “Professor Jega and INEC have been an embarrassment to the nation. I am in shock with all the arrangements they have made… INEC is the weakest link in the Nigeria democratic chain. I have no faith in what INEC is doing in Benin City.”
He promised to hold the INEC chairman responsible for the “failure of the election and for disenfranchising the people” because the electoral body “connived” with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election.
“They planned it and executed it this way. It is a shame that they have programmed this to embarrass Nigeria. If INEC does not allow the people to vote and they pronounce the winner, there will be trouble,” he warned.
“Fifty five pe rcent of voters are in Edo South and 40 percent in Benin City, and they think they can deprive the people the opportunity to vote. Professor Jega has failed because I wrote a petition that they are buying voters card. We will all go to court before God. They know that if it is two people remaining, they will not vote for them”
However, PDP, in an immediate reaction, described Oshiomhole’s position as hasty and a reflection of his fear of defeat. Okharedia Ihimekpen, its state director of publicity, said the governor’s comments were capable of damaging the integrity of the election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.