By; RAPHAEL OKHIRIA, Benin
The people of Edo State, today trooped out in their numbers to elect a governor for the state. The election so far has been very peaceful across the 18 local government areas of the state.
The election which had created a lot of controversies and tension, leading to the deployment of over 40,000 security personnel, made up of the police, army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security and others.
Our people have been patient and I love the way they have been patient, though they are here now. I want to keep an open mind because we had rumours before that INEC has been compromised but I don’t want to believe, I want to give the benefit of doubt that INEC will create a free and fair level playing field.
Speaking shortly before casting his vote, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, decried the late arrival of INEC materials to his polling unit at Indinrio Primary School Unit 3, ward 1, Okaigben Ewohimi in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state.
He also decried the indiscriminate arrest of the members of his party by security agencies.
“What I heard before is that INEC will be suppressed in our stronghold but I still want to give benefit of doubt and let’s see how things will go in the next few hours.
“We noticed that in many of PDP strongholds, there’s delay but I don’t want to jump to conclusions because the INEC chairman has assured us that they are going to do everything humanly possible to ensure free and fair election and I don’t see any reason why we should not believe them and the rest of the day will show whether they truly acted to their words.
“In one of the wards here, ward 10 in my local government, there’s no materials, no officials, we don’t have anything yet but it may be because of the distance, but I want everybody to be calm and should come out to vote, they shouldn’t be intimidated.
“They should come out in numbers to vote, they shouldn’t be afraid of anything, because when you come out to vote in numbers, you will prevails, but when you allow yourself to be cowed or intimidated, then your will is subverted and what they need today is for the will of the people to prevail.
One thing that is bothering me is that there are people moving around and not in police or army uniform, and they are arresting our supporters. Like we have in Uromi ward 8 unit 3, one of our men in arrested by some men in mufti, carrying guns. Nobody should carry gun to the polling unit, it is against the law, rules and regulations.
Similarly, the Labour Party governorship candidate, Mr Olumide Akpata, has said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has no excuse in delivering a free, fair elections since it is an off circle poll.
Akpata, speaking after casting his vote at Oredo ward 6, ward unit 11, noted that from the information gathered throughout the state, so far, the election process is going on very well.
“We are hopeful that this will be the experience from every Edo voter and I am calling on INEC that the playing field should remain level, nobody should be given any undue advantage, all of our agents should be allowed into collation centres, the agents 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, they have the luxury to deploy their resources.
“All eyes are on INEC, the entire country are on INEC, and we are hoping that they will do a good job.
“It left to seen if the heavy deployment of security personnel to Edo are for the people or for the certain individual”, the LP governorship candidate”.
Also, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo, has boasted that his opponent, Dr. Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, will not get a single vote at his (Okpebholo’s) Unit 03, Ward 1, Uwessan, Esan Central LGA in state.
According to him, “PDP or whatever will not get one vote here because this is my home and my people love me.
“What I’m seeing here is like a testimony that INEC is getting it right.
“I know that everything they are saying about security – this, that – is ‘hyping’. I mean nothing is happening. You can see! Nobody is fighting. No knockout, no stick of matches. So, it’s s just for people to scare people away from voting.
“You know Obaseki wanted to cause fire in Edo state but by the grace of God everything is moving perfect.”
Election results are still being awaited.
