Monday Okpebholo wins Edo governorship election for APC

“The way these elections are going, they are probably going to be the worst elections in the history of this country,” said PDP candidate Ighodalo.

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), which monitored the election, accused both the PDP and APC of vote-buying and also said election official had been intimidated in some areas.

Although the PDP had previously been in power in Edo, the state has been in the hands of the APC for many years so its victory isn’t necessarily a huge surprise.

But given Nigeria’s economic situation, some analysts had thought the APC could lose.

The country is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation with annual inflation at 34% – the highest in almost three decades.

Food prices have risen even faster – for example, in the commercial hub, Lagos, yams, a staple food, cost almost four times more than they did a year ago.

Last month, massive protests were held across the country over the economic situation.

Political analyst Muzammil Yakasai told the BBC that election violence had prevented some people from voting.

“I don’t think the election in itself is a reflection of how people in Edo state and Nigeria see the APC at the moment.”

Another test awaits the APC in another governorship election in the south-western Ondo state in November.