*Commercial bus drivers, motorists, traders say ‘exercise not credible’; youths play football at voting venue
The Edo Local Government Area election, on Saturday, was characterised by late arrival of voting materials and low voters turnout in some polling units.
As at the official commencement time of 8:30 am, accreditation and voting were also delayed in most polling units.
Although the election materials were being expected, officials of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission(EDSIC) and other stakeholders, security officers were present early and waiting for arrival of voting materials at some of the centres visited.
Accordingly, many polling units had yet to receive sensitive materials well beyond the scheduled commencement time, leaving voters and the officials waiting.
At Imaguero Primary School, Ward 11, Oredo local government area, voting eventually commenced at about 9:00 a.m., about 30 minutes after the official commencement time of 8:30 a.m.
A polling official said the exercise was expected to begin at 8:30 a.m.
Election officials were already at the centre as early as 7:30 a.m., while some voters arrived before 8 a.m. in anticipation of the exercise.
Ballot boxes and other election materials for the chairmanship and councillorship election arrived about 8:20 a.m., paving the way for voting to commence later.
Security presence also increased steadily, rising from three police officers about 7:35 a.m. to 12 personnel before voting began, which ensured a seamless process.
However, in spite of official restriction on movement, commercial buses and other motorists were seen plying the Ring Road-Sapele Road corridor, while patrol vehicles also maintained visibility on the roads.
A similar pattern was recorded at several polling units across Oredo.
At the Oyegun Centre, Ward 2, Units 1 and 2, voter turnout was low as residents waited without electoral officials or materials.
Mr Adewonyi Oyekanmi, a lecturer at Benson Idahosa University, said he arrived at the polling centre at 7:47 a.m.
“I was the first person to arrive here this morning. As at 8:40 a.m., there were still no electoral officers,” he said.
At Aruogba Health Centre for Ward 2, Unit 85 and Wellspring University for Ward 2, polling unit 81, there were no election materials or officials as of 9:00 a.m.
Mr Adebayo Sunday, who identified himself as the Presiding Officer for unit 81, expressed surprise over the situation.
“As at 9a.m., no voter has arrived at the centre. We are still expecting the election materials and other officials,” he said.
At New Benin, Ward 7, Unit 7, voters waited as at 9:11 a.m. but officials and election materials were not at the unit.
In Egor local government area, delays were equally observed. The situation was the same at Ugbowo Estate Primary School, Ward 10 as voting did not commence at the official time.
Also at Polling Unit 26, located at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Ugbowo, the situation was not different as neither election officials nor voting materials had arrived at the official hour.
The situation remained the same of delayed voters materials, accrediting and voting at Ward 9, Units 1 to 8, at Ugbowo
At Ugbowo Primary School; Units 9, 10, 11 and 12, voters arrived early but had to wait for election officials and materials as at 9 a.m.
Police deployment gradually increased from three officers to 12 officers, after voting materials eventually arrived at some of the polling units monitored.
Also commercial buses, motorists and traders at New Benin Market were seen going about their normal activities, indicating limited compliance with the restriction on vehicular movement announced by the police for the election.
Voting eventually commenced about 9.30 am. after the arrival of the voting materials at Wards 8 and 10 in Egor and at Units 1 to 10 in Ward 8, in Uselu Secondary School among others visited.
The same situation was observed at Units 42, 44 and 51.
In an interview at Uselu, Mr Moses Osadolor, a voter at Unit 5, attributed the relatively early commencement of voting in the ward to Uselu’s status as the local government distribution centre for election materials.
“Voting started some minutes before 9 a.m., not 8 a.m. But there are no chairs and tables for the officials. They have been standing throughout the exercise.
“That alone makes the process fall below standard. Chairs and tables are supposed to be here. Imagine the officials standing,” Osadolor lamented.
Osadolor also described voters turnout as low, saying “only me has voted in this unit. Some people came earlier, waited for some time and left”.
The Supervisory Presiding Officer for Ward 8, Mrs Grace Ahiante, blamed the situation on logistics challenges.
“We were supposed to get chairs and tables from the classrooms but they were locked.
“However, one of the councillors volunteered to rent canopy, chairs and tables, and that is what you see being off-loaded,” she explained.
In contrast, Ward 12, Units 1 to 6, at Oba Market in Oredo Local Government Area, recorded a smoother exercise.
At 10 a.m., voting was already in progress.
Mrs Blessing Odion, one of the voters, described the process as orderly.
“The exercise has been seamless. The turnout is low but I think people are adopting a walk-in pattern where they come, vote and leave,” she said.
She added that election materials arrived at the polling centre early, allowing voting to commence without significant delay.
Twelve political parties were cleared by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission to participate in the election into 18 local government areas of the state.
Also, dozens of youths abandoned the local government election for a football match, saying they had little interest in an election they believe, lacked real political competition.
The youth played football at the field of Uselu Secondary School, the voting centre for Polling Units 1 to 10, Ward 8, Egor Local Government Area, while election officials conducted the exercise nearby amid low voter turnout.
The youth mounted goalposts and played football in sets.
One of the players, Samson Osagie, said he was not motivated to participate in the election, describing it as lacking genuine political competition.
“The election is won already because APC is the only major party participating in the election.
“We do not even know some of the candidates in the election,” he said.
Another youth, Thompson Momoh, attributed his absence from the polling unit to the fact that he was yet to obtain his Permanent Voters Card (PVC).
“I just registered for my voter’s card and it is yet to come out.
“If it is ready before the 2027 election, I will vote.
“Meanwhile, I joined the football match because there is a restriction order and I can’t go to work today,” he said.
Also speaking, Paul Omoregie said he participated in the football match because it was part of his regular weekend routine.
“I play football here every Saturday and today cannot be exceptional,” he said.
EDSIEC is conducting elections into the chairmanship and councillorship positions in the state’s 18 local government areas, with 12 political parties cleared to participate.
However, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) are among the parties that boycotted the election.
Some voters attributed the generally low turnout recorded across many polling units to the decision of major opposition political parties to boycott the election.
Mr Fidelis Onwuma, who voted at the Imaguero Primary School Polling Unit 1, Ward 11, Oredo Local Government Area, said turnout was lower in the 2026 election unlike previous elections.
“Major opposition parties did not field candidates and their absence reduced voters’ interest in the election,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Abisoye Lawal, attributed the apathy to the generally low level of public interest associated with local government election
“I will say people don’t have much interest in local government election, the way they do in presidential and national assembly elections,” Lawal said.
He added that election for chairmanship and councillorship usually attracted fewer voters than higher level contests.
Similarly, Mr John Esele said that some eligible voters might have stayed away because of their experience during the previous local government election, where voters reportedly assembled but election officials did not arrive.
He urged residents to, however, not abandon the electoral process, describing voting as a civic responsibility.
Another voter, who simply wanted to be called Osas, said he participated in a local government election for the first time because someone he knew is contesting for councillorship.
He said that he had previously not considered such elections important enough to participate in.
