APC sweeps all 210 seats in Edo LG election
The All Progressives Congress won all 18 chairmanship and 192 councillorship seats in Edo’s local government election, a clean sweep with no opposition victories.
The All Progressives Congress has won all 18 chairmanship seats and 192 councillorship positions in Saturday’s local government election in Edo State, a result that raises more questions than it answers about the state of electoral democracy at the grassroots. Announcing the results on Sunday, the Chairman of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, Jonathan Aifuobhokhan, declared the APC victorious in every local government area and ward where elections were held.
Aifuobhokhan, who did not provide a breakdown of votes scored by the parties in each local government, said the election was conducted successfully across the state’s 18 LGAs and 192 wards. He confirmed that accreditation, voting, sorting, counting, collation and declaration of results were carried out in line with the Edo State Local Government Electoral Law 2022, as amended in 2026.
“Following the completion of the collation process at the various ward and local government collation centres, the duly appointed ward and local government returning officers announced and declared the results in their respective jurisdictions,” the EDSIEC chairman said. “Based on the official results declared by the returning officers, the commission hereby declares that the APC won the 18 local government chairmanship seats and all the 192 councillorship positions contested in the election”.
The commission chairman expressed satisfaction with the performance of returning officers, saying they discharged their responsibilities professionally and impartially. He added that although there were minor operational challenges in a few locations, they did not significantly affect the overall conduct or outcome of the election. He praised Governor Monday Okpebholo for providing what he described as an enabling environment for the commission to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.
A clean sweep in any election is unusual. A clean sweep without a breakdown of votes is extraordinary. The result reflects the reality of local government elections in Nigeria, where opposition parties often struggle to compete due to a combination of factors: limited resources, weak party structures at the grassroots, and the incumbent advantage that comes with control of state machinery. The Edo result is a reminder that local government elections are not always a true reflection of popular will.
The winners: the APC, which now controls all local government structures in Edo State. The losers: the opposition parties, which failed to win a single seat, and the people of Edo, who lose the benefits of competitive local governance.
Bottom Line: A clean sweep in Edo’s local government election. No opposition victories. No vote breakdown. That is not democracy. That is a coronation.