Edo 2024: Ugolor X-rays poor voter turnout, culture of incompetence in governance

Rev David Ugolor has attributed the reported low voter turnout in the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election to several reasons.

Among them are poor trust levels for both government and the political parties; the belief that votes don't count in elections; as well as economic hardship that restrained the movement to vote in polling centres far away from the place of residence.

He added that to ensure a sustained effort at critically mobilizing the electorate in a democracy to imbibe an active voting lifestyle requires huge resources for which a third force is needed without identifying it in clear terms.

Ugolor is the executive director of an international non-governmental organisation based in Edo State, Nigeria called ANEEJ – The African Network for Environment and Economic Justice.

He made these remarks yesterday while speaking as a panelist in a live EDO DECIDES programme of Independent Television and Radio, Benin put in place to specially cover the gubernatorial election in Edo State.

The programme was anchored by Dr. Sonny Duke Okosun with Ugolor's co-panelists being Barr. A. B. Thomas.

Ugolor, who is a front runner in the campaign to monitor oil revenue transparency in Nigeria, further asserted that in the current dispensation small political parties will find it difficult to thrive.

He said: "ln our democracy of today, competence and capacity to deliver good governance are not of concern to us. Hence, small political parties with them but without the resources accept to be cronies to the big parties in a bid to survive.

"At the federal and state levels, the major political parties which dominate the economy find it difficult to invest in people with competence and capacity once they are in opposition.

"But in the United States, this is not so. For instance, Elon Musk, the richest man in the country supports Donald Trump of the Republican Party. Yet, he gets contracts from the ruling Democrats in power because of his competence and capacity.

"What is playing out in Nigeria is that the government and the big political parties prefer people with forged certificates to persons with competence and capacity.

"I have a colleague with the capacity and competence working for a big politician. Someone dug up a publication with a statement of his criticising elites in power and that was it. He lost his job.

"If you are an Artificial Intelligence genius, no one in politics or government wants to use you at all because you are independent, not wanting to be à proxy.

"In a mapping of development in countries it has been shown that when talented people are not brought into governance, there is under development. Because corruption and kleptocracy will become the order of the day in such countries."

At this juncture, a chieftain of the PDP, Chief Tom Ikimi, phoned in complaining that in Ward 7 of Igueben town the BVAS are malfunctioning and voters cash inducement was going on. In his response, Ugolor noted that the allegations have not been validated working by INEC. Therefore, it will be hasty to accept the allegations as true or false. Nevertheless, he expressed alarm at Chief Tom Ikimi's report of vote buying.

According to him, it was the first time such a shocking report is being made from all the 192 wards in Edo State.

He called everyone, especially the media to report only what they see and the security agencies to scale up their effort now that the election process will soon move to the next level of declared results collation.

Thereafter, he commended INEC, the security agencies, candidates, political parties as well as the electorate for the peaceful election.

He then noted with finality:b"If you win, good. If you lose take it in good faith. There is another day. Maybe, your strategy, and resources failed you. Or, your deputy ran away. Four or eight years in office are not for ever.

"Election will come and go. Edo State will remain"