Edo Election: Tight Security, High Turnout As Voting Commences

Nineteen candidates are competing for the ticket to the Government House. But the main contest is between Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in the state, and Andrew Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A total of 25,000 police officers were deployed across the state to ensure peace and security during the polls, while 44 observer groups were accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission as election monitors.

It was learnt that there is high turnout of voters in most of the polling booths.

At at Polling Unit 005 in Benin, an INEC adhoc staff who explained the voting process to prospective voters said, “The process has changed. Now after accreditation, you vote immediately.

“Voting starts by 8 am and stops at 2pm. Those who are in the queue when it’s 2pm will be allowed to cast their votes.”

Governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole who casted his vote in Edo north said he was happy that the elections is going peacefully, adding that he was confident the APC candidate will emerge victorious.

“Am happy about the voting, sure the election will go on fine’” he said.

Also casting his vote, Obaseki, who spoke in Pidgin English, said he is impressed with the voter turnout at his polling unit.

“Na my papa area where dem born me. So a lot of my family dey around here and everybody dey happy say governorship candidate come from their own area.

“The queue for my unit is still very long, it will take some time but I no mind at all. Everything dey very calm, peaceful, no trouble at all,” he said.

On his own part, Ize-Iyamu while casting his vote, said the voting was peaceful adding that “the election is going fine as expected.”

Ize-Iyamu, who said that the Governors of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode and Kaduna state, Nasir El’Rufai were present, wondered why they were around.