Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo on Saturday described the local government election in the state as peaceful and orderly despite reports of low voter turnout and the late arrival of electoral officials and voting materials in many polling units. The election, organised by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), took place across the state’s 18 local government areas and 192 wards.
The governor spoke after voting at Ward 2, Udomi Primary School in Esan Central Local Government Area. He arrived at the polling unit at about 10:24 a.m. and said the voting process there began on time with electoral officials and security personnel already present.
Although reports from several parts of the state indicated that many polling units experienced delays and attracted only a small number of voters, Okpebholo said information reaching him suggested that the exercise was progressing peacefully. He said the election reflected the interest of residents in choosing leaders for their local councils and expressed confidence that the process would end successfully.
He also appealed to residents to remain peaceful throughout the election and allow EDSIEC to complete its work and officially announce the results.
Also speaking after voting, the All Progressives Congress chairmanship candidate for Esan West Local Government Area, Blessing Ebhodaghe, commended those who came out to participate in the election. He said voter turnout in local government elections is usually lower than what is seen during general elections.
Ebhodaghe, who currently serves as the acting chairman of the local government, also said some eligible voters could not take part in the election because of issues connected to the recent voter registration and Permanent Voter Card collection exercise, which left many residents without the required documents to vote.