Vote counting has started in the ongoing off-cycle Edo State governorship election which kicked-off Saturday morning with 2,629,025 registered voters spread across 4,519 polling units.
Seventeen parties are contesting the election but only three, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) are considered to have campaigned keenly.
The PDP candidate is Asue Ighodalo, while the APC represented by Monday Okpebholo and the Labour Party by Olumide Akpata
The elections took-off on or close to schedule in many posts, with pockets of lateness and rainfall.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made a handful of arrests in connection with alleged vote buying.
The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, commended the enthusiasm of Edo voters for coming out en masse to cast their votes despite the rains.
The governor commended the electorate and young Edo voters for their determination and interest in the election, defiling the rain and perform their franchise to elect their governor for the next four years.
“You can see that despite the weather, the turnout and enthusiasm of the electorate is high. The ballots box in my polling units is full and it clearly shows people have been interested in this election as they have been adequately mobilised,” he said.
“People are very interested in this election because it’s a watershed for us in Edo State. I am not surprised because a lot of young people are here to come and express themselves and fulfill their civic obligation.
“For now, I am glad with what I see and the election process in my unit has been smooth and efficient but just hope that the collation process will be the same and also peaceful and hope that results counted will not be disrupted,” the governor added.
