The recently concluded Edo State gubernatorial election resulted in Senator Monday Okpebholo’s victory with a notable discrepancy in the proportion of votes garnered compared to the total population of the state.
The election outcome has prompted a critical examination of the correlation between the number of votes received and the broader public sentiment in Edo State.
Detailed statistical data obtained from authoritative sources reveals a substantial disenfranchisement of approximately 1,665,815 individuals out of a total of 2,249,780 registered voters.
This disparity is particularly significant when juxtaposed with the state’s projected population of 4,777,000, as reported by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics in 2019.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) data further illustrates that out of the 2,249,780 collected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), only 25.95% were utilised in the election, culminating in 570,690 valid votes. This figure represents a mere 25.36% of the total number of collected PVCs.
Notably, Senator Okpebholo’s victorious tally of 291,667 votes equates to a mere 12.96% of the total votes cast, which is inconsequential when compared to the Edo State population of 4,777,000.
Consequently, the election outcome raises pertinent questions regarding the representation of the majority in the decision-making process, indicating a potential disparity in the democratic process within Edo State.
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