Low Turnout, Late Materials Mar Edo Council Elections

Low voter turnout and late arrival of election materials affected parts of Edo State on Saturday as residents voted in local government elections across the state’s 18 councils.

Reports from polling units in Oredo and Egor showed that some centres had few voters early in the day, while materials and officials arrived late in some places. The election was conducted by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission.

At the UNICAF Group of Schools in Ugbiyokho, Egor Local Government Area, Daily Post reported that officers and materials had not arrived as of 10:30 a.m. The outlet also reported empty or lightly attended polling points at Asoro Slope, Garrick Memorial School, Oba Market, Yanga Fish Market and parts of Ward 12.

Daily Trust separately reported low turnout at Agbado Primary School in Oredo Ward 4 and delays at some units in Egor Ward 10. Some voters who spoke to the paper described the exercise as peaceful, even as they acknowledged that turnout was lower than expected.

Governor Monday Okpebholo voted at Ward 2, Udomi Primary School, in Esan Central Local Government Area. He described the process as peaceful and said reports reaching him from other parts of the state showed voting was progressing without major trouble.

Observer groups cited by Daily Trust also said they had not recorded any major security breach as voting continued in areas they monitored.

Sources: Daily Post, Daily Trust