Edo governorship election begins as residents of Edo state on Saturday, September 19, began the process of choosing who will govern the states for the next four years.
There are 14 governorship candidates participating in the election, but the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are believed to be the top contenders in the race.
Records at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicated that 1.72 million people are eligible to vote in the election while 483,796 eligible voters will not participate in the poll for failure to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Police reportedly restrict governors, VIPs to hotels ahead of voting Reports have emerged that the Nigerian police force have rirstircted the movements of governors and very important personalities (VIPs) who arrived Edo state ahead of the commencement of the governorship elections to hotels to prevent manipulation of the voting process. However, the PDP has accused security agencies of harassing and targeting its governors who had gathered in Benin ahead of the poll.
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Live reports from Edo state, southern Nigeria.
8:34am: Owan west, LGA:17 ward 4 PU 003. Voters are seen checking for their names. All is set but voting is yet to commence.
8:25 am: Etsako West Local Government Ward: 11 (Uzairue South West)
PU: 005. 5 minutes to the official commencement of voting, INEC officials are just pasting voters registration list.
8:10 AM: PU 07, Ward 5 Owan East LGA. Voter’s also seen queueing without maintaining social distancing.
8:05 AM: Emaudo/Eguare/Ekpoma, Ra 04, Pu 014 (Emaudo Primary School I) Esan West LGA. Asst. Presiding Officer III Addressing Voters In Their Various Languages.
08:03 AM: PU OO5 UROMI GIRLS PRIMARY SCHOOL IDUMU/OKOJIE (WARD 04), ESAN NORTHEAST LGA. It is observed that many voters are either not wearing a face mask or are wearing it the wrong way.
8:08 AM: Esan Southeast LGA, Ubiaja 1, Ward 06, PU 002, the ad-hoc staff are ready. The cubicle is arranged, voters list pasted and security agents surrounds the area.
7:57 am: Ohiomowhwon LG, RG Area Abiokunla 01, Ago-Ogbeide PU004, the electoral officers are preparing the election materials, voters are seen checking the pasted voters Registration list.
7:45am: One of the cubicles at Ebelle Eguare Primary School, Ward 06, PU 08, Igueben LGA is set up and ready for use.
7:53 AM: PU 06 Tipper Garage, Egor Ward, Egor LGA Voters are waiting to check for their names on the list.
7:47 am: Polling Unit 8 Voting point 1 ward 2 okpon Ovia South West Local Government, the Election officers are setting up for the business of the day.
7:44 AM: Polling Unit 005 and 006, Ugbeka Ward, Orhionmwon LGA Electoral officers just arrived at the units, preparation is ongoing as voters registers are being pasted.
7:43 AM: Ward 5 polling unit 4, argument amongst voters observed. Police officers aren’t doing anything to calm it down. Social Distancing is not observed.
7:38 am: at Unit 5, Uselu II, Egor LG, a couple of voters trying to confirm their names on the pasted Voters’ Registration List.
7:37am: LG:07, Ward 01, PU:01. Voters queuing without observing social distancing.
7:35am: LG:07, Ward 01, PU:01. Assistant Presiding officers paste list of Accredited Voters.
7:29am: at Etsako Central, Ward: 01, PU:02. Assistant Presiding officers paste list of Accredited Voters.
7:20am: at Unit 6, Uselu II, Egor LG, INEC ad-hoc staff have arrived and are seen setting up non-sensitive election materials in preparation for voting.
7:05am: at Egoro, Ra 03. PU 006 (Eguare Primary School 1), Esan west LGA. INEC officials setting up the polling unit
7:00am: at Egoro, Ra 03 Pu:006(Eguare Primary School) Esan west LGA. INEC officials moving out to their various polling units.
