Edo: Labour party missing as 9 parties participation in by-election

Labour party is missing as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), disclosed that nine political parties are participating in the Edo Central Senatorial and Ovia Federal Constituency seats by-election slated for August 16. Daily Trust recall that the seats became vacant after previous occupants Senator Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa emerged governor and deputy […]

Labour party is missing as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), disclosed that nine political parties are participating in the Edo Central Senatorial and Ovia Federal Constituency seats by-election slated for August 16.

Daily Trust recall that the seats became vacant after previous occupants Senator Monday Okpebholo and Hon. Dennis Idahosa emerged governor and deputy governor of the State in the September 2024 governorship election.

The Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Prof. Anugbum Onuoha, disclosed this yesterday to journalists in Benin City on Wednesday.

Prof. Onuoha said From our records, Labour Party and others didn’t invite us for their primaries.

“Some others invited us, but when we got there, their doors were locked. We could not find anyone,” he said.

He listed the parties to include, Action Alliance (AA), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and All Progressives Congress (APC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

He said out of the 719,504 that registered for the election in the affected affected areas for the by-election, only 617887 have collected their PVCs while 101, 617 remain uncollected and urged residents to pickup their cards.

He noted that 14 political parties had indicated interest to contest the poll, but only the affirmed nine parties invited the commission to for their primary election.

He said the commission is fully prepared to conduct a transparent and hitch free election, adding, “Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) has been configured, while non-sensitive materials had been deployed.”

Continuing, Prof Onuoha dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calling for his redeployment, sue for media collaboration to enable the commission deliver a free, fair and credible election.

He said all modalities to ensure a smooth exercise have been put in place just as he urged the residents to go out en-mass to cast their votes for their choice candidates.