Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party governorship candidate in Saturday’s election in Edo, has blamed electorates, his party members and agents for aiding the manipulation of the election outcome.

“We anticipated that powerful forces would attempt to skew the outcome in their favour, regardless of the will of the people,” Mr Akpata said in a post-election statement on Monday.

“Regrettably, these fears have materialised. Yet, we must also confront an uncomfortable truth: the outcome was enabled not just by those who sought to manipulate the process, but also by the actions—and inactions—of a significant portion of our electorate,” he added.

The LP governorship candidate said what happened on Saturday was “not election but transaction,” accusing the APC and Peoples Democratic Party of vote buying and blaming voters who stayed away, allowing the two major parties to buy their ways during the election.

“Let us be clear what transpired on 21 September 2024 was not an election but a transaction. It was enabled by those who chose to stay away, making it easier for the two dominant parties to afford a significant majority of the few votes on offer and by those who came out and willingly sold their votes,” Mr Akpata said.

He added, “it became painfully clear that we did not have the people, as many, including some Labour Party faithful and agents, willingly sold their future for peanuts to the very political parties whose actions and policies have impoverished them.”

On Sunday night, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Monday Okpebholo of All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.

Mr Okpebholo, according to the INEC returning officer, Prof. Faruk Kuta, polled 291,667 to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 247,274. Mr Akpata came a distant third with 22,763 votes.