Edo PDP wins three assembly seats, APC claims one Rep seat seat

The Labour Party (LP) defeated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, winning the three remaining seats in the House of Assembly, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured the remaining ticket in the House of Representatives during the supplementary poll held on Saturday.

In the Edo House of Assembly election, PDP candidates Destiny Enabulele, Natasha Osawaru, and Uyi Omosigho were declared winners in the Ovia Southwest, Egor, and Oredo East constituencies, respectively. In the supplementary election for the Orhionmwon/Uhunmwonde federal constituency, APC’s Chief Billy Osawaru emerged victorious. INEC had declared the March 18 Edo House of Assembly elections in Ovia Southwest, Egor, and Oredo East inconclusive on March 21.

Earlier, on March 18, the PDP won twelve of the 24 seats in the state’s House of Assembly, the APC secured eight seats, and the LP obtained one seat, bringing the PDP’s total to fifteen seats. In the House of Representatives elections, the APC won five seats, the LP won two, and the PDP won one. The APC also captured two senatorial seats, while the LP secured one.

Edo’s LP chairman, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, called on INEC to cancel Saturday’s supplementary House of Assembly elections in Oredo East and Egor, describing the poll as a charade. At a news conference in Benin on Sunday, Ogbaloi alleged that armed young men were stationed at all polling units, preventing LP supporters from accessing the voting areas. He claimed LP members were dehumanised and assaulted, citing an incident in Ward 12, Agbado Primary School, where a supporter was knocked down by a vehicle while fleeing attackers.

Ogbaloi declared, “We, the LP, dissociate ourselves from the charade they call an election in Oredo East and Egor constituencies. They introduced brigandage into the election. A poll where our members were totally refused participation cannot be called an election.” He added that some LP officials were beaten and hospitalized, while only officials of the PDP government were allowed into the polling units. Those attempting to vote for the LP were reportedly beaten, had their clothes torn, and were pushed out. Ogbaloi concluded by calling for a fresh supplementary election in Oredo East and Egor.