Enoch Oyedibu
In a surprising twist, the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo’s emergence as the Governor of Edo State has sparked widespread debate, as data shows that his victory was secured with just 12.96% of votes from the 2.2 million accredited voters.
This development is reportedly casting doubt on whether Okpebholo’s mandate reflects the will of the majority of Edo’s 4.7 million population.
The recently concluded gubernatorial election, hailed as a cornerstone of democracy, has instead raised critical questions about the legitimacy of its outcomes.
Despite the large number of registered voters, the majority of Edo’s population did not actively participate in the process, leading to a scenario where a small fraction of votes decided the future of the state.
Data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that out of 2,629,025 registered voters, 2,249,780 were accredited to vote.
However, only 583,965 votes were cast, a meager 25.95% of the total accredited voters. Even more concerning is that only 570,690 of these votes were valid, amounting to just 25.36% of the total number of accredited voters.
Okpebholo’s 291,667 votes, which handed him the governorship, represent only 12.96% of the accredited voters—raising concerns over the level of voter engagement and the true reflection of public opinion.
This figure becomes even more stark when compared to Edo’s total population of 4.7 million people, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Effectively, just a tiny portion of the electorate determined the leadership of a state with millions of residents.
Analysts by PLATFORM TIMES have pointed out the disenfranchisement of a significant portion of Edo’s electorate. Of the 2,249,780 accredited voters, an alarming 1,665,815 were disenfranchised—either due to logistical issues, voter apathy, or failure to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).
The election results have sparked a heated debate among political commentators and civil society organizations, who argue that the legitimacy of Okpebholo’s mandate is questionable given the low voter turnout.
They also highlight the urgent need for electoral reforms to ensure greater participation in future elections.
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