Despite initial hitches due to late arrival of electoral officers and materials as well as morning downpour in parts of Edo State on Saturday morning, voting commenced in earnest with the governorship candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, voting in his PU003, Uwessan 1, Esan Central Local Government Area.
The senator, who represents Edo Central Zone, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not get a single vote at his polling unit as the party is not popular in his area.
“What I am seeing here is testimony that INEC is getting it right,” he said.
“PDP or whatever will not get one vote here because this is my home and my people love me. I have nothing to fear. What they are saying about security is hyping. No knock out or a stick of matches. It is just to scare people away from voting.”
Earlier, the AA candidate stepped down and endorsed APC’s Okpebholo.
Also, the Labour Party candidate, Olumide Akpata, also voted at polling unit 11 ward in Oredo Local Government Area.
He expressed satisfaction with the voting process, but hoped that it would be the same throughout the state.
As residents of Edo State head to the polls today, the three main political parties have expressed their readiness for the election.
Similarly, Governor Godwin Obaseki has cast his vote in the ongoing governorship election in the state.
Obaseki voted at about 11:57 am at polling unit 19, Ward 4, Oredo, located inside Emokpae Primary School, Benin City.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the voting process, also hoping that the collation of votes would be seamless
The trifecta of Senator Monday Okpebholo (All Progressives Congress), Asue Ighodalo (Peoples Democratic Party), and Olumide Akpata (Labour Party) being the frontliners in the race to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki, are duelling to get the highest number of votes out of the over 2.2 million permanent voter cards collected by registered residents.
Whoever that emerges as the winner among the three will occupy Osadebe House, the government house, which will be vacated on November 11 by Obaseki, who has served two tenures – first on the ticket of APC and presently on the platform of the PDP.
