Edo governorship election kickoff amidst massive turnout, shooting, allege electoral malpractices

 

By Our Correspondent

There is massive turnout on Saturday’s Edo state governorship election across all polling units in of the state.

Eligible Voters

 Eligible voters arrived the polling units promptly even before voting materials along with the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appear.

Accreditation of voters and voting commenced on scheduled at the polling units.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was said to be prompt in the discharge of it duty as electoral materials and officials arrived on time at the polling units.

Security personnel were visible at the polling units to safeguard life and the voting materials.

 Our Correspondent reported that Policemen as well as personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were founded at the polling units.

However the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it was aware of a shooting incident in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo state, vowing to bring all electoral offenders to justice.

 Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

 Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this in his preliminary address at the “Edo Governorship Election Virtual Situation Control Room” which is holding through Zoom.

Yakubu added that the commission had also received images showing the alleged hijack of electoral materials in Ward 9, Unit 15 of Egor local government area in the state.

He said INEC might be forced to take decisive action against results generated from the affected unit.

Yakubu frowned at the violation of COVID-19 safety protocols especially with regards to the physical distancing rule.

The INEC boss said the commission had to activate its backup system by replacing all faulty Smart Card Readers at units where some card readers malfunctioned.

Our correspondent learnt that most of the complaints might be frivolous as some eligible voters who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

This according to Global Overseer findings may not be unconnected with the way and manner the opposition mobilizes effectively to take over powers in Edo.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo Governorship election on Saturday, Sept. 19 cast his vote at Ugboko ward 4, unit 26, Orhionmwon Local Government Council of the state at about 9: 25 a.m.

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

He joined the queue at his polling unit located at Iguododo Primary school at about 9:20a.m. before casting his vote at about 9: 25a.m.

Speaking to journalists after exercising his franchise, Ize-Iyamu commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the peaceful and smooth electoral process.

He also commended INEC for adhering to the COVID-19 protocol.

“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.

“We encourage our people to come out in batches so they can strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols of social distances”.

He said he had not been able to get information about the conduct of the election across the state due to the poor network at his voting community.

He expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious in the election saying, “I am confident of victory across the 18 LGAs of the State”.

The accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously at Ugboko ward 5, unit 26 at about 8: 46 a.m. amidst the presence of security personnel.

Nevertheless, the Edo State Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Godwin Obaseki, on Saturday expressed disappointment over the failure of card readers in several wards across the state. 

Governor Godwin Obaseki

Obaseki who spoke to journalists shortly after casting his vote in Oredo Local Government Area of the state noted that after spending several hours on the queue due to card reader issues, the failure of the card readers shows the unpreparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“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 in the queue before exercising my franchise is a bit disappointing.

“Given that this is a sole day’s election, I expected better planning and preparation and 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. You all are witnesses to how long it has taken.

“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.

“At Garrick Memorial School, I understand that over 500 voters are already stranded because they can’t vote due to slow processing of the card reader.

“One would have expected that INEC will have deployed more card readers and more voting points in high density polling centres,” he said.

Responding to the issue of vote-buying at polling units, the governor said that the security agencies are not doing what they assured Edo people and Nigerians before the election.

“The 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,” Obaseki noted.