Dr. Bright Enabulele, the Accord Party’s governorship candidate in the recently concluded Edo governorship election, has lashed out at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the body of overseeing what he described as the “most corrupt election in Nigeria’s history.”
Enabulele described his experience at Ward 5, St. Saviour Ivbiyeneva Primary School, Unit 1, in Ikpoba/Okha Local Government Area, where he voted on live television, only to be officially credited with zero votes.
Speaking to reporters, Enabulele said: “How can I, a candidate who physically cast my vote on national television, receive zero votes in my own polling unit? This is a clear indication of the manipulation and corruption that plagued this election. A vote stolen is democracy stolen.”
Enabulele further questioned the credibility of the entire election, suggesting that if a candidate’s vote can be erased, the integrity of the entire process is at stake.
In response to the alleged manipulation, Dr Enabulele advocated for an electoral system that minimizes human interference, proposing blockchain technology as a potential solution.
“We need a transparent and incorruptible voting system, and blockchain technology offers that. It eliminates the possibility of manual tampering and ensures every vote is counted accurately,” Enabulele stated.
He also criticized the failure to fully utilize the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which is designed to enhance transparency in Nigeria’s elections.
According to Enabulele, the BVAS system was either not used effectively or deliberately bypassed to facilitate rigging.
“The credibility of our elections is at stake, and we must act now. If we do not fix this broken system, we are setting the stage for even greater corruption in the future,” Enabulele warned.