Edo election 2024: 3 major reasons why APC may defeat PDP, take over state

2 months ago 66

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria.

Benin City, Edo state - Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state is serving the last year of his second term and is expected to exit office on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

While Obaseki is term-limited and will not be contesting in the Edo state governorship election 2024, his anointed candidate, Asue Ighodalo, is a top name on the ballot.

Ighodalo is set for a showdown with Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party's Olumide Akpata, and 14 others.

In this report, Legit.ng identifies some factors that may cause the PDP and Ighodalo to lose the Edo state governorship election 2024.

Edo PDP’s refusal to sign peace accord

It is believed in some quarters that the PDP's refusal to sign the peace accord has sent a wrong signal to both the opposition parties and the people of Edo state.

Recall that on Thursday, September 12, the Edo PDP declined to sign the peace accord for the September 21 gubernatorial elections in the state.

In view of this, concerns have been noted about the possibility of the election being marred by violence. Should widespread violence be recorded, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be forced to cancel election results.

Some pundits believe the PDP's rejection of the peace accord may be one of its undoings.

Edo: Likely battle of the highest bidder

Voters in Nigeria's elections often sell their ballot, a development observers believe is a bad omen.

“Going, going, gone!” is a refrain commonly used to herald the determination of the highest bidder of an item being sold on auction. This process of presenting items for bid, taking bids, and then selling them to the highest bidder aptly encapsulates a questionable practice that has permeated Nigeria’s recent electoral experience: vote buying.

Since Nigeria returned to democracy in May 1999, vote buying has steadily grown in scale and brazenness.

Several videos and images have emerged, showing the unabashed sharing of cash, food and valuable items among the electorate by politicians and parties during recent elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states. Stalwarts of the two main political parties, the APC and PDP, are most guilty.

With the APC being the party in power at the centre, the party could attempt to use federal might. They also have enough money to achieve their electoral targets.

Oshiomhole factor

Although not on the ballot, Senator Adams Oshiomhole is a key actor in Edo politics and a threat to the PDP.

An influential politician in Edo state, Oshiomhole has been strongly backing his party's candidate, Okpebholo, and working off his socks to ensure victory on Saturday, September 21.

It is a battle of wits and strength in Edo as the former APC national chairman also has political scores to settle with Obaseki, his successor and former ally.

It is noteworthy that Oshiomhole has always been a winner. In 2018, the former labour leader was elected as the APC national chairman. Earlier, he was governor of Edo state, from 2008 to 2016.

Presently, the 72-year-old serves as the federal lawmaker representing the Edo north senatorial district since his election in February 2023.