The All Progressives Congress (APC), which has dominated the results in the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency, has taken an early lead in the Edo State by-elections to fill open seats in the National Assembly.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) each received just one vote in Ovia, while APC candidate Barr. Omosede Igbinedion received 450 votes in her polling unit.
The voting process was described as “seamless, peaceful, and encouraging” by her father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, who braved the intense rain to cast his ballot in Okada. Dennis Idahosa, the deputy governor of Edo, also cast his ballot in Ovia South West.
However, following his vote in Esan Central, Governor Monday Okpebholo voiced his displeasure with the slow Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and urged INEC to upgrade the machines.
He claims: “Well, I just voted. You can see the frustration. The BVAS is just too slow. It takes too long before you can get accredited. I think INEC needs to look into this. So far, so good, the feelers I’m getting are good”
Edesili Okpebholo-Anani, his wife, encouraged voters to cast their ballots with vigor and to safeguard them.
When Johnny Aikpitanyi, the PDP’s candidate for the Ovia Federal constituency, stormed Benin City to protest alleged voter intimidation, it was clear that the party had lost. At his Oghede polling station in the Ovia North East Local Government Area, Aikpitanyi reported that more than 150 thugs and vigilantes were present.
Aikpitanyi said, “How can you see more than 150 vigilantes holding guns in a polling unit? It doesn’t make sense. In a polling unit vigilantes holding guns? It doesn’t make sense. What is vigilante doing in a police unit? More than 150 of them.
“If you know your party is good, if you know your party has done well, then why are you afraid? Why the vigilantes? Why the thugs everywhere? Allow people to go vote. If you feel your party, the APC, have done well or maybe you’ve done well for the people, then allow them to go vote so that their vote will count.
“So, this election violence here and there, it needs to stop and it’s going to stop now. That’s all I have to say for now. So, I’m precisely from Oghede”
Prince Joe Okojie, the PDP’s candidate for Edo Central, acknowledged the BVAS issues but urged his supporters to remain resilient and encourage their loved ones to cast ballots.
Turnout was generally low, with many polling places recording only a few voters, despite the fact that voting materials arrived on schedule and polls opened at around 8 a.m.
While APC officials expressed confidence that more voters would turn out before the voting close, community leaders in Ovia South West rallied citizens to overcome voter apathy.
In Edo State, the exercise was generally peaceful in spite of the complaints.
