Eligible voters in Edo State trooped out in large number to cast their votes in Saturday governorship election which took off early and had peaceful start in most parts. It, however, started late in some other parts of the state.
Three policemen, 1 INEC staff drown in Ologbo
The bright beginning was blighted by the report of an accident at Ologbo in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area where a boat carrying ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) capsised, leading to the drowning of two inspectors of police, one constable and an INEC ad hoc staff.
The deaths were confirmed by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anthony Airhuoyo.
Voter accreditation was scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m., but a great number of the eligible voters turned out at their respective polling units as early 6:00 a.m.
ACN jumps to early lead
Results announced in some polling units, particularly in Benin City indicate that the ACN had jumped into early lead. An example of such places is Oredo.
There are also unconfirmed reports that some PDP bigwigs lost to the ACN in their units.
Edo South situation
In Edo South senatorial district, officials of the INEC and election materials arrived early at most polling units particularly in remote areas in Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode and Ikpoba Okha local government areas.
Some of the areas where INEC officials and election materials made early arrival included Ramat Park Polling Unit; Ohuoba Primary School, Murtala Mohammed Way in Ikpoba Okha Local Government, and Ugboko Ward, units 23 and 24; Ugboko Numagbae and Iguododo village, home of the national vice chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, all in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.
Besides, accreditation and voting went well at Ward 4 Unit 7 and at Ward 6 Unit 3 in Ovia North-East Local Government Area, where ACN chieftains, Elder Sunny Uyigue and Benson Edosonmwan voted.
However, INEC officials and election materials did not arrived before 8:00 a.m. in areas such as Asoro Primary School, Sokponba road; Garrick Memorial School, Ekehuan road, Unit 20 where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd), voted; Oba Market Polling Unit; Iyanogie Primary School; and First East Circular road, all within the Benin metropolis in Oredo Local Government Area, and Ward 8 in Ikpoba Okha Local Government.
‘Fake voter register’ discovered
There was however an incident of ‘fake voter register’ at Unit 19, Garrick Memorial School, where the pictures of some persons who presented themselves for accreditation were not found on the register and so the pictures on their voter cards could not be matched with any on the register.
The late arrival of INEC officials and election materials in some of these places generated some tension which, however, went down when reports came confirming that materials had arrived.
INEC explains late arrival of materials
But the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kassim Gaidam, told a local radio station in Benin City that the need to provide adequate security for officials and material might have led to the late arrival of both officials and materials in a few places.
Gaidam said it was not possible to have provided security to all the 5,519 voting/accreditation points at the same time, as they needed to escort the officials and materials to these polling units, an exercise which was presumably done in phases.
In all, the exercise, starting from accreditation to voting in most places in the seven local government areas of Edo South senatorial district, was relatively peaceful.
Edo North situation
Incumbent governor and candidate of the ACN, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, got accredited and voted at Iyamho Primary School in his home town, Iyamho, in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.
There was also late arrival of materials in places like Ibillo and Igarra. At Ibillo, INEC officials apologised to eligible voters who were already waiting for arrival of the materials.
At Ward 6 Unit 4 in Etsako Central Local Government Area, PDP Director of Organisation, Mr. Paschal Ugbome, who voted there, told journalists that the people were very excited by the opportunity to elect their own governor, just as he said, “we are hopeful. Hope is the engine that drives a man.”
Speaking at his home town in Akoko Edo, Honourable Peter Akpatason was delighted with the turnout of voters in the area. He said that it was a result of proper sensitisation and mobilisation of the people.
The ACN lawmaker was confident that Comrade Oshiomhole would win. He said he was satisfied with the early arrival of voting materials at Uneme Ukhue, Akpatason's town.
Former leader, House of Representatives, Colonel Tunde Akogun (retd), speaking at his Igarra residence, was displeased over reports he said reached him that party agents from more than six parties were present at some polling units because only three parties; the ACN, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the PDP, were competing in the election.
He also made mention of cases of disturbances in the area.
Reports from Edo Central
Election officials and materials were said to have arrived on time in most parts of Edo Central senatorial district, while accreditation and voting reportedly went without hitch as the people displayed a high level of maturity and good conduct.
Major towns like Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Uromi and Ubiaja experienced relative peace in the course of the exercise as there was no report of anything untoward.
Initial reports from this area, home to Comrade Oshiomhole, were largely in the incumbent’s favour as of the time of filing this report.
There were no reports of any violence in this area of the state, apart from the usual rowdy nature of large crowds of people eager to take destiny into their hands.
Oshiomhole accuses INEC of failure
Comrade Oshiomhole, early during the election, said the INEC failed in its responsibility to conduct a free poll in the state, warning of impending trouble if the true winner of the poll was not declared.
The governor, who gave the warning during an interview with journalists at Iyamho Primary School, Iyamho, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, said there could be no winner when the people were not allowed to vote.
“They plan not to bring out voting materials on time and as we speak, in Oredo Local Government Area, Benin City and Egor Local Government Area, the heart of Benin City, materials have not got to majority of the polling booths, after 11.00 a.m.
“At the New Era College, Upper Mission road, they brought fake voters register different from the one the people registered in,” he noted.
According to Oshiomhole, “if accreditation is to stop by 12.00 p.m. and it is after 11.00 a.m. now, there are no materials in some polling booths, it then means Professor Attahiru Jega and the INEC have no plans to conduct election. The whole idea is to frustrate the people so that they will not be able to vote, and they will declare a fake result.”
The governor maintained further that “Professor Jega and INEC have been an embarrassment to the nation. I am in shock with all the arrangements they have made, sensitising the people and I told them, INEC needs to be sensitised. INEC is the weakest link in the Nigerian democratic chain. I have no faith in what INEC is doing in Benin City.
“This is designed for where majority of the people are denied the right to vote and this time, I have told them this country either decides on whether to move on or move back. I see sponsored editorials saying whatever happens, we will go to court, but today, we have to sort out the issues once and for all,”
Comrade Oshiomhole said he held Professor Jega responsible for “the failure of the election and for disenfranchising the people” as he alleged that INEC had connived with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to involve in “scientific rigging.”
“They planned it and executed it this way. It is a shame that they have programmed this to embarrass the Nigerian nation. If INEC does not allow the people to vote and it pronounces winner, there will be trouble.
“Fifty-five per cent of voters are in Edo South and 40 per cent in Benin City, and they think they can deprive the people the opportunity to vote.
“Professor Jega has failed because I wrote a petition that they are buying voters card. We will all go to court before God. They know that if it is two people remaining, they would not vote for them,” he said.
Airhiavbere predicted peaceful poll
PDP governorship standardbearer, Airhiavbere, on arrival at his Garrick Memorial College polling centre at about 9:45 a.m., gave the assurance that the election would be peaceful, indicating that there was water-tight security on ground.
Airhiavbere was in company with his wife, Yetunde and other family members.
According to him, “the security is very tight, and the electorate are coordinated.
“Everyone is going about their businesses. I assure you, the election will be peaceful and credible.”
The PDP candidate was accredited at about 10.29 a.m.
He told Sunday Tribune that in his unit, the exercise started an hour behind schedule, adding that the process went on well.
Airhiavbere said he was not holding brief for anybody over some purported issues such as missing names on the register or the possibility of fake voter register being in circulation, but added that this was not witnessed in his unit.
“Don’t forget that we didn’t do verification in Edo,” he, however, noted.
According to him, there were, to a very large extent, good signs regarding the process.
Oshiomhole reacted too early - Airhiavbere
Reacting to Oshiomhole’s warning and threat, Airhiavbere said; “it will be too early in the day to begin to make accusation and allegations. It is just one O’clock; voting has just started.
“For any candidate to condemn the process is is too early. It is his way of heating up the polity.”
Orbih accuses ACN of wrongdoing
The Edo State PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, who alleged that certain persons he said were from the ACN came to a polling unit at Ogbona in Etsako Central Local Government Area with fake voter cards and photocopies of voter cards, called for the arrest and prosecution of such persons.
Besides, Orbih said ordinarily, he would have expected the INEC chairman, Professor Jega, to react to the accusation made by Oshiomhole, but that he would respond himself because the PDP was also mentioned.
According to Orbih, “there is no truth whatsoever in Adam Oshiomhole’s allegation. Adams is the last man to know that he is losing.
“So, we are not surprised. They are building castles in the air about support base that never existed. Now, they are seeing the resoluteness of our people to vote for PDP.
“Very soon, he will join Pope Benedict in those he is accusing. We are committed to credible election. Our faith is in God and the electorate.
“We have nothing to do with INEC other than being a participant in the process. May be they have something they wanted INEC to do and INEC refused and now they want to blackmail INEC.”
Anenih refuses to make early assessment
Former chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, who voted at Uromi in Edo North senatorial district, said it was too early at the time to assess the election.
There were less hitches - Edo REC
Reacting to Oshiomhole’s accusation, the Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Kassim Gaidam, said, “It is certainly not so. How can we stab ourselves. We hope for the election to end peacefully. There are less hitches than 2011 elections. We shall work hard to do better in future.”
Source: Sunday Tribune
