The recently concluded Edo State governorship election was marred by widespread fraud, manipulation, and corruption.
Amid the growing calls for transparency, several key individuals and institutions have been named as the masterminds behind the manipulation of the electoral process in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
In what many are calling a mockery of democracy, these actors worked in concert to ensure that the true will of the Edo people was suppressed.
Here are the key players who are now at the centre of the controversy surrounding the election:
Ann Aderibigbe – Assistant Director of Electoral Operations at INEC Headquarters
Ann Aderibigbe, an Assistant Director of Electoral Operations at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters, has been named a central figure in orchestrating the electoral fraud. Sources within INEC say Aderibigbe played a pivotal role in coordinating the manipulation of results in favour of the APC. Her involvement, according to insiders, included overseeing the illegal changes to result sheets and facilitating the tampering of electoral materials.
Aderibigbe’s name surfaced when opposition agents and election observers began pointing out the irregularities in the vote collation process, which they claim was directly overseen by senior INEC officials, including Aderibigbe.
Anugbum Onuoha – Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo
Anugbum Onuoha, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State, has also come under intense scrutiny. Onuoha, who was tasked with ensuring a transparent and fair election, is accused of orchestrating the rigging machinery in the state. Multiple reports from opposition agents and civil society groups allege that Onuoha was complicit in allowing electoral fraud to take place under his watch.
Opposition parties, especially the PDP, have accused Onuoha of turning a blind eye to the irregularities happening in real time. In some cases, Onuoha directly instructed INEC officials to manipulate results from polling units in key areas where the PDP had a stronghold.
Police – Complicit in Intimidation and Voter Suppression
The role of the Nigerian Police Force in the Edo election has also come under heavy criticism. While the police were meant to provide security and ensure law and order during the electoral process, multiple reports indicate that some officers were actively involved in intimidating voters, particularly those perceived to be PDP supporters. In certain areas, police officers reportedly prevented opposition agents and independent observers from accessing collation centers, allowing INEC officials and soldiers to carry out manipulations without being challenged.
Eyewitnesses have described how officers stood by as electoral officials tampered with results or even actively participated in ensuring that the opposition was shut out of critical decision-making points. In several local government areas, opposition supporters were reportedly harassed and beaten by police officers. This has led to accusations that the police were used as tools of voter suppression and electoral manipulation.
Soldiers – Protectors of Electoral Manipulation
Perhaps the most shocking of all the allegations involves the role of the Nigerian military in the election. Despite assurances from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, that soldiers would not interfere in the political process, numerous reports indicate that soldiers were heavily involved in facilitating the fraud that characterized the election. Their involvement ranged from providing cover for INEC officials tampering with result sheets to intimidating voters and opposition party agents.
In several local government areas, soldiers were stationed near collation centers, where they reportedly blocked PDP agents and observers from accessing the centers while fraudulent activities were taking place inside. In some cases, soldiers escorted INEC officials to “secure locations” where results were allegedly altered to favour the APC.