. Mahmood Yakub, INEC Chairman
Early results from Saturday’s governorship election in some polling units across the 18 local government areas of Edo State showed that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, were in a tight race.
Though the final results were yet to be declared at press time on Saturday, both won their respective strongholds.
Our correspondents who monitored the election said there were reports of violence, vote buying, ballot box snatching and malfunctioning of card readers in some local government areas.
The election, according to our reporters, had massive turnout of voters in Oredo, Egor, Akoko Edo, Esan Central, Esan North West, Ikpoba Okha, Esako East and Esako West local government areas of the state.
Obaseki won his polling unit in Oredo Ward 4 with 184 votes, while his main challenger, Ize-Iyamu, scored 62 votes.
At his polling unit, Orhionwom Ward 5, unit 26, Ize-Iyamu polled 292, while Obaseki got 21 votes.
The deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu of the PDP won his ward 11, Unit 3 Etsako West Local Government with 789, APC polled 164 votes.
Results from some polling units in Etsako East Local Government showed that the APC polled 215, PDP 103 at ward: 001 – Agenebode, PU: 009 (Egbadu 2 and at Eramhe Primary School, Okpella III. Ward 7, PU: 3a, APC got 126, PDP: 126.
At Owan East, ward 2 unit 2 Ownu Primary School Ovbiomu II, PDP- 142, APC – 126; PU 018 , Goretti College Ikpoba Okha LG, APC – 49,PDP – 128; Igueben LG ward: 01 (Ekekhe/Idumuogo/Egbiki), PU: Ekekhe (003), APC-69, PDP- 97 and Eguare Primary School, Ewu 2, Ward 08, PU 09, Esan Central LGA, PDP – 269,APC – 48.
At Utantan Primary School, Ward 02, PU 03, Igueben LGA, APC – 110,PDP – 110; ward 04 (Uhe/Idumuogbo/Idumueke), PU 04 (Utantan Primary School, Igueben), Igueben LGA, APC – 240, PDP – 238; ward 04 (Uhe/Idumuogbo/Idumueke), PU 04 (Utantan Primary School, Igueben), Igueben LGA, APC – 240, PDP – 238 and at PU Uromi Unuwazi Primary School II (008), Esan North East LG, APC -44, PDP – 67.
At Ward 1 unit 2 Owan East LGA, PDP- 124, APC- 90; Owan West LGA, Sabongida, Ward 4 PU: 3, APC – 86, PDP-85, ward 1 Unit 7 Public field Gallary Afuze Owan East LGA, APC- 139
PDP- 87 and at PU 002, Ward 01, Esan North-East LGA, APC – 97, PDP – 129.
Obaseki laments vote-buying, card readers’ failure
Governor Godwin Obaseki expressed disappointment with the failure of the card readers in several wards across the state.
Speaking to journalists shortly after casting his vote in Oredo Local Government Area of the state, he said, “I expected better preparation on the part of those saddled with the responsibility to conduct this election.
“To wait for one and a half hours on the queue before exercising my franchise is a bit disappointing.
“Given that this is a sole day election, I expected better planning and preparation.
“Resources should have been put into this election.
“At the last presidential election, in my polling unit, there were two polling points which eased the burden on voters.
“The card reader here is working slowly, and this is the situation in all the major voting centres in Oredo Local Government Area of the state as I speak,” he said.
Responding to the issue of vote-buying at polling units, the governor said security agencies had failed to fulfill their pledges to the people of Edo State and Nigerians before the election.
“Security agencies assured us that they won’t allow anybody who doesn’t have business of voting, into a particular place, but they are working contrary to what they promised us.
“You can see cars parked with a lot of cash being disbursed to people buying votes, and it seems to be normal practice, but we are not perturbed as people know what to do. Cash can’t buy their future,” he said.
But in a related development, the candidate of the APC, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, said he was confident of victory.
Speaking after casting his vote at Ugboko Ward 4, unit 26, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state at 9: 25am, he commended INEC for the peaceful conduct of the poll.
“The process is good and going on smoothly, there is no thuggery and violence, the place is peaceful and calm. I am happy that INEC has a thermometer to check temperature and they also give out face masks to our people,” he said.
Oshiomhole hails voters, security agents
A former national chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, commended voters and security agents for the peaceful conduct of the election.
Speaking to newsmen after voting, Oshiomhole, a former governor of the state, urged the security agents deployed for the poll to watch out for any act of thuggery, saying there were plots to disrupt the collation of the results.
He also hit hard on INEC for being “the only bad egg” as most card readers were not functioning properly at his polling unit, thereby slowing down the process.
The Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu also expressed optimism that they would win the election.
He spoke to journalists shortly after casting his vote at his polling unit at Jattu, Etsako West Local Government.
The deputy governor, who voted at his Ward 11, unit 5, at 10: 30am, said, “I am optimistic that we will win the election.
“You know I am a man of the people and we have a technocrat as governor, people who ordinarily would not have come are out to vote are all here, so I am expecting bigger victory for us,”
