The Edo State governorship election took place on Saturday with a handful of hiccups.

Some of the challenges FIJ observed during the voting process in Edo affected the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and voters alike.

Rhoda Gumus came under fire in 2022 when she was appointed an INEC commissioner. Critics and opposition political parties raised eyebrows. They also claimed that Gumus was a card-bearing member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). These criticisms came with images of her purported APC card.

However, on Friday, during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, Gumus promised to ensure a hitch-free election.

“I am in charge of Edo. I want to do the right thing, even though I will not be everywhere. We will conduct this election in a free, fair, and credible manner,” Gumus said.

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Despite Gumus’s words, FIJ found across social media that there were numerous complaints of electoral irregularities and manipulation during the election.

‘WE WON’T VOTE WITHOUT RESULT SHEET’

A clip emerged on Saturday casting some doubt on INEC’s preparedness for the election.

In the video, an intending voter was insisting that “they” would not vote without result sheets.

“How can you vote without result sheets? Does it work that way? Tell us, why don’t you have result sheets here? We will not accept it. If you don’t bring result sheets, we will not vote. No result sheets, no vote!” exclaimed the man.

The INEC officials he addressed could not provide answers.

Inec are seen conducting election in some polling units, without result sheet. #Edo state Rigging process or just another thing?……….Tinubu | peller| Wike | pdp | Labour party| apc| Edo election | inecunderattack| Obasanjo | labour party | Alex otti| Peter obi|… pic.twitter.com/iGUQX0lu0y— Business Elites Africa (@ElitesAfrica) September 21, 2024

Another complaint by an X user in the early hours of Saturday’s election questioned INEC’s logistics arrangements. INEC officials were late to the voting venue.

“Unit 30, Ward 6, Umagbai Secondary School: INEC officials are late, with voters waiting over an hour. Voting hasn’t started; BVAS are under inspection by party agents. Only security is present, and fewer than 100 of 783 registered voters are here,” @super881fm said on X.

ALARMING RATE OF VOTE BUYING

While vote buying is not a new problem during Nigerian elections, the case with the Edo governorship election was alarming.

The police in Edo claimed on X that they arrested PDP members whom they suspected to be involved in vote buying. They also claimed to have found the suspects with “a large sum of money”, “cache of weapons” and “a detailed plan outlining strategies for voter intimidation”.

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A statement by a coalition of civil society organisations speculated that the prices of votes in Edo ranged between N5,000 and N10,000 per voter in many polling units. The group also said that some of the voters were influenced by food items such as bread.

More witnesses shared cases of vote buying in Edo on Saturday.

@HRH_Ujuaku, an Edo voter, shared a clip of vote buying at Polling Unit 12 in Ward 3 of Etsako East LGA. Although she ascribed the crime to the APC, FIJ is working to independently verify her claim.

LGA ETSAKO EASTWARD 3POLLING UNIT 12INCIDENT: VOTE BUYING(APC)#EdoDecides24 pic.twitter.com/RE5y61wlY3— OBIANUJUAKU (@HRH_Ujuaku) September 21, 2024

ELECTORAL VIOLENCE UNLEASHED BY THUGS

A video by African Independent Television showed that voters were attacked at Edokpolo Grammar School in Ward 7 of a local government area in Edo.

Voters Attacked by Political Thugs at Edokpolo Grammar School, Ward 7 pic.twitter.com/SaLu2Z31g4— Africa Independent Television (@AIT_Online) September 21, 2024

In the video, FIJ saw thugs beating some voters while other voters looked on. There were no security operatives to de-escalate the situation. This was despite the claim of Chris Ezike, Edo commissioner of police, that up to 22,603 policemen would be deployed for security during the election.

Collation of the results from across Edo was ongoing at press time.
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