Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has described Saturday’s local government election as peaceful and orderly despite widespread reports of low voter turnout and the late deployment of electoral officials and voting materials across the state.
The election, organised by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), held across the state’s 18 local government areas and 192 wards.
Although several polling units reportedly witnessed sparse voter participation and delays in the arrival of election personnel and materials, the governor maintained that the exercise was progressing smoothly.
Governor Okpebholo cast his vote at Ward 2, Udomi Primary School in Esan Central Local Government Area at about 10:24 a.m.
After voting, he commended residents for conducting themselves peacefully and said reports reaching him from across the state indicated that the election was largely calm and orderly.
According to the governor, electoral officials and security personnel were already on ground at his polling unit before voting commenced.
“The election is peaceful, and everything is going smoothly based on the reports we are receiving from different parts of the state,” he said.
Okpebholo also expressed confidence in the electoral process, insisting that voter participation reflected growing interest in grassroots governance.
“The turnout is encouraging. This is democracy at the grassroots. Our people are showing interest in choosing those who will manage the affairs of their local governments. By the grace of God, winners will emerge at the end of today’s exercise,” he added.
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The governor appealed to residents to remain peaceful throughout the exercise and urged them to wait for the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to officially announce the election results.
APC Chairmanship Candidate Speaks On Turnout
Also speaking after voting, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate for Esan West Local Government Area, Blessing Ebhodaghe, praised voters who came out to participate in the election.
While expressing optimism about the exercise, Ebhodaghe admitted that turnout was noticeably lower than what is typically recorded during governorship or presidential elections.
He also argued that a number of eligible voters were unable to participate because of challenges encountered during the recent voter registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection exercise, which he said left many residents disenfranchised.
Despite the concerns, the APC candidate expressed confidence that the election would produce credible outcomes once the collation process is completed.