The Edo State Government held its local government council elections on Saturday for the state’s 18 local government areas, but the opposition parties, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP), complained that most sites lacked the necessary election materials.
However, there was no violence during the election because majority of the state’s voters participated peacefully throughout the process.
Election materials were delivered early to most polling places in Edo North, such the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, and voting began in some places as early as 8 am. The process went off without a hitch.
However, the opposition APC and the LP denounced the process, with the LP protesting at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) offices where the party alleged that there was a shortage of election materials.
Daniel-Ero Onaghise, a candidate for the LP chairperson of the Oredo local government, demanded that the election be cancelled.
While casting his ballot at Emokpae Primary School, Governor Godwin Obaseki complimented the process and expressed his confidence that the PDP will prevail, highlighting the fact that the party was “fully mobilised in most of the state.”
Obaseki, who spoke after casting his ballot, expressed satisfaction with the voter turnout.
“Despite the weather, there was a fairly outstanding turnout. The enthusiasm in the local government election was evident by the huge turnout. This indicates that the political parties performed a good job of educating and organising the voter and general public.
Many people are still present to witness the conclusion of voting, so the procedure has been calm and easy. I am quite impressed by what has happened because EDSIEC’s organisation has gone rather smoothly. We have a respectable turnout, as evidenced by the large number of voters who are still present as the polls are almost about to close.
“I have been receiving updates from all around the State, and it appears that this is the general trend. I hope everything goes smoothly even though I have not yet heard about any violent incidents.
In response to complaints that voting materials had not yet arrived in some locations, the governor stated, “I expect that voting time will be extended and let more people to vote. I am confident that EDSIEC will extend the time for voting. I have no doubt that they will expand and permit voters and citizens to utilise their right to vote.
This happened right after he praised the state elections commission for its work.
“I believe EDSIEC has done well, and I anticipate that candidates who are well-liked will win. However, don’t forget that the PDP gave this election its all; I’m not sure how much the other parties mobilised, but I do know that PDP mobilised fully throughout the majority of the state.
Although I am aware that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went all out to organise for this election and I am unaware of any other political parties, Obaseki said, “I expect that you will find some opposition here and there.”
While LP fans yelled in anger, a candidate for the LP chairmanship declared, “I want to convey my discontent on this exercise. At one point during our series of stakeholder meetings, they promised to use card readers and BIVAs, but as election day approached, they abandoned that plan. They also promised to impose movement restrictions, but two days before the vote, the governor declared there would be none.
“At that time, we began to have our doubts, although EDSIEC reassured us that nothing would go wrong. Materials arrived today after more than six hours, and no one from EDSIEC was visible. Since there are no voting materials and people have been waiting since seven o’clock, I, the LP candidate for Oredo, am unable to cast my ballot as we speak.
“I discredit the procedure and I call for the exercise’s cancellation; it hurts so much that I was unable to vote for myself.” He asked for it.
Col. David Imuse (RTd), the APC State Chairman, said the election was a spectacle and a swindle since there weren’t enough ballots but there were no single result sheets.
“Without a result sheet, how can an election be conducted? There are no result sheets, and it is happening throughout the entire Edo Central senatorial district where I am phoning from, as well as in Esan North East and Esan West, and I fail to see how an election could be held without result sheets. He bemoaned.
