·Police arrest vote-buyers, suspected thugs with guns
*We're leading comfortably -APC·Respect people's will, PDP asks APC·Impressive turnout as voters defy rain·Akpata loses polling unit to Ighodalo·Obaseki, Ighodalo, Ogie win units·Oshiomhole shows might in Etsako
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, were locked in a tight race last night as Edo State 2024 governorship election inched to the finish line, last night.
At press time, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had uploaded about 95 per cent of the 4,519 polling units' results on its Result Viewing, IReV, portal. Subject to the official announcement results from IReV showed that the PDP was leading with the APC in hot pursuit.
The Labour Party, LP, which projected the election as a three-horse race was coming a distant third, according to the results on the IReV portal. However, leaders of the PDP and APC, separately, claimed to be leading from results announced so far from the hugely peaceful balloting, in which all shades of voters-the aged, physically challenged and youths defied heavy downpours in many parts of the state to cast their ballot.
Some political heavy-weights won their polling units just as LP candidate, Olumide Akpata, lost his polling unit to PDP's Asue Ighodalo. Those who won the units included Governor Godwin Obaseki, Ighodalo, PDP deputy governorship candidate, Osarodion Ogie, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who showed might in Etsako.
We're in comfortable lead - APC
The APC declared that results so far gathered from its field agents in the Edo State indicated that it was leading, but that it would not preempt the electoral umpire until the conclusion of the process.
Party spokesman, Felix Morka, in a statement, said the party's attention had been drawn to some reports circulating in sections of social media by certain political parties peddling bogus figures of vote tallies in the ongoing election, and urged "the Edo state electorate and the general public to disregard these bogus and highly speculative reports."
He continued: "Collation at the Ward level is still ongoing and has yet to be concluded. Certainly, Local Government level collation has yet to begin in most of the LGAs in the state let alone concluded.
"Consistent with the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission is the sole authorized body empowered to collate results at the Ward, Local Government and State levels, and to officially declare the result of the election.
"Our great party is comfortably in an early lead, however, as a responsible Party, we will not attempt to preempt INEC's conclusion of the election process and official declaration of final results. We urge members of the public to disregard this attempted misrepresentation and await INEC's final verdict on the election."
PDP charges APC to respect people's will
However, the PDP directed its members and supporters in Edo State to follow the results of the ongoing governorship election from the polling units to the ward, local government and state collation centers to prevent any manipulation or alteration by the APC.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party urged the INEC to ensure that "all results as announced at the polling units are transparently uploaded to the INEC Server and duly declared at the Collation Centers in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022 and INEC Guidelines for the Edo State governorship election."
Ologunagba continued: "The PDP counsels the APC to respect the will of the people of Edo State as expressed at the polling units.
"The PDP commends the people of Edo State for their resilience in enforcing their will at the polling units despite the schemes of the APC and charges them to remain alert in readiness to firmly defend their votes as they await the declaration of the final result heralding our victory."
PDP demands prosecution of an electoral officer
Earlier, PDP had demanded the arrest and prosecution of INEC Presiding Officer, Obozuwa Josephine, for allegedly allocating non-existent votes to APC. This was contained in a statement posted on the official X handle of the PDP, on Election Day. The party said: "The election result sheet for Osholo Primary School Polling Unit, Weppa in Etsako East Local Government Area shows that whereas 213 voters were accredited, Obozuwa Josephine criminally and fraudulently allocated 352 votes to the APC, 52 to the PDP and one to the LP, giving a total of 406 as votes cast.
"It is highly provocative that the INEC PO Obozuwa Josephine could be so compromised by the APC to audaciously and feloniously allocate unearned 352 votes to the APC above the 213 voters officially accredited in that Polling Unit.
"Our party holds that Obozuwa Josephine's action is one of the many cases of electoral fraud, ballot manipulation, betrayal of public trust and crime against the state perpetrated in this election by the APC and unscrupulous INEC officials which must not go unpunished."
How Akpata lost polling unit to Ighodalo
LP's Akpata lost his polling unit to PDP's Ighodalo according to the results released on the INEC's portal, which also showed that the APC's Monday Okpbholo and Ighodalo were leading in their strongholds which are Edo North and Edo South.
The result of Unit 11, Ward 6 of Oredo local government area showed that the LP scored 2 votes, PDP 41 and APC 19.
The results so far in the INEC's portal showed that the APC is leading in Edo, its stronghold in Edo North while the PDP is leading in Edo South.
In Etsako West LGA, Igbira Camp Booth, APC had 90 votes, LP 13 and PDP 85 while in Owan West, Ifidon by Bright in Sobe, APC, 90, LP 13 and PDP75. For Uhunmwonde Uvbenisi-Uvbenisi primary school, APC scored 83, LP 06 and PDP 47.
In Egor LGA Paramount Nursery and Primary School Uselu II - IV, APC had 17, PDP 22
In Oredo LGA New Benin, Unit 27, New Benin III/Payne primary school, APC scored 36 votes, LP 5 and PDP 56.
In Ikpoba-Okha Ward 7 Unit 17, which is the voting place of the Deputy Governorship candidate of the PDP, Osarodion Ogie Esq. PDP scored 216 while the APC scored 29
Obaseki commends voters
Speaking shortly after voting at Unit 06, Ward 12 of Oredo Local Government Area, Governor Godwin Obaseki said he was satisfied with the army that had provided security, and commended Edo voters for their enthusiasm.
His words: "You can see despite the inclement weather people have turned out in large numbers. You can see the enthusiasm. It is not mid-day yet and the ballot box in my polling unit is already full. And so, clearly, that tells you that people are very interested because they have been mobilized and have been very interested in this election. This is why I am not surprised.
"For now I am glad with what I see, the process in my units has been smooth. I hope the collation process will be the same. It will be peaceful and the results will be counted and there will be no destruction.
"I am glad with the extent of military presence in the state. As you know the federal security agencies have taken over the state. I am not the Chief Security Officer of the state, the Inspector General of Police, IGP is the Chief Security Officer.
"The military has done well. The Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, came to see me and gave assurances that his men would be on the ground. And we see that deployment. We are not too sure what the Police are doing. As I speak, some people claimed to be policemen at the Ogbe polling field trying to arrest people on election day and in their polling units."
No reason for INEC, security agencies to fail - Akpata
Speaking after voting at his Ward 6 Unit 2 in Oredo LGA, the Labour Party Candidate, Mr. Olumide Akpata called on the INEC to ensure that what he experienced at the centre was replicated all over the state and the peoples' votes were allowed to count. He said the Edo State election is an off-circle election and there would be no reason for security agencies and the election umpire to fail.
His words: "The process went well, I want to hope that this is the experience of every Edo voter, but I'm not going to make that assumption standing here, I want to wait for feedback from my agents across the state.
"We are hopeful that this will be the experience of every Edo voter and I am calling on INEC that the playing field should remain level, nobody should be given any undue advantage, all our agents should be allowed into collation centres, the agent of all parties, nobody should be hindered, prevented from going into the collation centre, so that we can all witness the process, and be able to confirm that it was done in the manner as provided by law, the Electoral Act and the Constitution. "So, INEC has no excuse, this is an off-cycle, and they have the luxury to deploy their resources. "All eyes are on INEC, the entire country is on INEC, and we are hoping that they will do a good job."
Ighodalo laments late arrival of INEC officials
Dr Asue Ighodalo, the PDP Candidate, voted at Unit 3, Ward 1, Idinrio, Okaigben, where the voters organised themselves under a canopy to avoid being beaten by the rain while waiting for the arrival of INEC officials.
Ighodalo lamented the lateness of INEC officials and electoral materials to the area and called for a three-hour extension to accommodate every voter, which the electoral umpire granted for all areas that experienced delayed commencement of voting.
Speaking after casting his vote, Ighodalo said: "We have been here for about two hours now, some even five hours and more. It is good we have been able to cast our ballots. However, I am not happy with the process that delayed the coming of materials. Again this is a single state election. INEC had all the time to prepare. Having said that, the good thing is that the people have been calm, they remained very patient and made up their minds that they will stay here, wait and cast their votes. And nothing will deter them."
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BVAS malfunctions in Shaibu's unit
In Etsako West Local Government Area, there was a failure of Biometric Voters Accreditation System, BVAS, in Unit 5, Ward 11 where Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, voted. Some of the voters expressed disappointment over BVAS. Shaibu said the situation was capable of disenfranchising over 2000 voters.
Oshiomhole denies rigging allegations
On his part, Senator Adams Oshiomole denied the allegation that the APC had stock-piled money to buy votes during the election.
Oshiomole told journalists shortly after casting his votes at Iyamho, Ward 10 Unit 01 in Etsako West LGA: "It is laughable when I heard this kind of allegation. Have you seen anywhere where they are sharing money? People turned out in large numbers to vote for us because they want good government. During our campaign, people came out to see me not because I wanted to give them something but because of what I have done for them while I was in the office as the governor.
But for minor hitches, delays and malfunctioning of the BVAS in Etsako West the poll was largely peaceful as of press time.
Police arrest vote-buyers suspected thugs with guns
However, the police said it arrested suspected thugs with guns in its midnight raid. The Force Police Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said Edwin Obanor, 43-year-old and Audu Tajudeen, a 41-year-old from Ugbogbo quarters, Igara Akoko -Edo were arrested on a tip-off. ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi also disclosed that more suspects were arrested in different parts of the state for their involvement in political thuggery, vote buying, and cash inducement.
He revealed that a fake Journalist was also arrested.
Adejobi said operatives of the Nigeria Police, while conducting synchronized raids on already identified black spots across the state, arrested two suspects, who are members of the PDP, Emotingham Godspower, 25, and Farawei Isaac, 27, both from Ufunama community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo state. He said a list of voters' names with corresponding monetary values, pre-filled ballot papers and a set of fake identification cards were equally recovered.
Similarly, six individuals were arrested at Aibotse Secondary School for engaging in vote buying. ACP Adejobi further explained that a fake journalist who claimed to be a staff member of one of the leading television stations in Nigeria was also apprehended.
