The United States has expressed scepticism over the integrity of the recently concluded Edo State governorship election and the subsequent tribunal ruling that affirmed the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo.
Despite the tribunal’s decision on Wednesday, which dismissed the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said it remained deeply concerned about the credibility of the process.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, ruled that Ighodalo failed to provide sufficient evidence of electoral malpractice, including over-voting and irregularities.
But the U.S., referencing findings from a civic group, the Kimpact Development Initiative, challenged the reliability of the collation process that produced Mr. Okpebholo as governor.
According to the report cited by the U.S. Mission, significant anomalies were recorded in 141 polling units, with over 29,000 ballots unaccounted for and excess votes in at least 382 units.
“In Edo State, inconsistencies were found in 141 polling units,” the Ballot Integrity Project (BIP) report stated, highlighting what it described as a “persistent mismatch in the number of registered voters.”
The BIP also revealed that even after collation was finalized, over 20,000 votes remained unaccounted for.
“Edo recorded 29,053 ballots unaccounted for at polling unit level and still had 20,167 missing votes after collation,” the report stated.
Reacting to the situation, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, stressed the need for transparency and due process to uphold democratic principles.
“We are closely monitoring the Edo election appeal process,” the Mission said in a statement on Friday. “Transparency and due process are crucial to maintaining public confidence in any democratic system.”
Mr Ighodalo has already pledged to take the matter to a higher court, insisting that the election outcome did not reflect the will of the people.
In the past, Washington has taken firm actions against electoral malpractice in Nigeria.
Reports indicate that the U.S. once revoked the visa of Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, in response to a contentious Supreme Court ruling in 2020, which overturned Emeka Ihedioha’s victory and declared APC’s Hope Uzodimma governor of Imo State.
