Many voters got their pockets filled with cash on Wednesday as citizens of Edo State went to polls to choose their next governor.
Various sources monitoring the election confirmed that agents of political parties were seen inducing electorates with cash of worth N1000, N2,000, N3000 and more .
An All Progressives Congress (APC) agent was seen throwing bundles of Naira in the air while voters scrambled for the money in units 1,2,3,4,5,6; ward 4 of Ikpoba Okha Local Government in Edo state.
Also, agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were observed inducing voters with N1,500 at the at PU 12/02/01/001, Egor local government.
Some agents of Unity Party were also involved. A video footage emerged on twitter allegedly of APC agents bribing voters with N2000 each to vote the party’s candidate.
All together there are 19 candidates in the race but the main contenders are , Godwin Obaseki of the APC and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP.
Claims and counter claims:Ambode, El-Rufai Presence in Edo
Candidate of the PDP, in the governorship election Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, cried wolf, saying the presence of two governors of the APC, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State in Benin was worrisome.
Ize-Iyamu made the claim while speaking with journalists after casting his vote in his Village, Iguedodo in Orhiowon Local Government, area of the state, said the two were obviously in the state for sinister motives.
But the claim was quickly debunked by the Lagos State government.
The State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde described the allegations by the PDP candidate as reckless and disgraceful.
Ayorinde disclosed that the Ambode was presently overseas for an official assignment and in any case had no business being in Edo State on Election Day.
Ayorinde said: “The Lagos State Governor served as the chairman Campaign Council constituted by the All Progressives Congress and his duty ended 24 hours before the election because no campaign was supposed to hold 24 hours to the election and having completed his assignment which included appearing with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Grand Rally in Edo State earlier in the month, Governor Ambode has no reason to return to Edo State on election day and for this sort of lie to have been peddled by a candidate who is supposed to be a pastor, is reckless and disgraceful.”
Security
Incumbent governor of the state Adams Oshiomhole claimed that he received information of stolen card readers and shooting that made him sad. But he acknowledged that the process was the smoothest so far in the state’s history.
In response to the governor’s claim, Commissioner of Police in the state, Haliru Gwandu, security operatives have been able to maintain law and order so far.
“No adverse report so far. Anywhere we have a challenge, we try as much as possible to fortify the place. Everything has been going smoothly,” he said.
The police announced earlier that 23,000 personnel will be deployed in the state for the election.
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed 15,250 personnel in the state for the same purpose.
Civil Defence boss hails his men
The Deputy Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) Mr. HK Madu , has said the Edo State governorship election should be used as a model in terms of security arrangement for future elections in the country.
Madu, who said he was in the state to coordinate his 15,000 men who are on ground in the state for the election, commended the security arrangement.
Policewoman caught collecting bribe
APC alleged that its agent caught a female police officer who was collecting money from a chieftain of the PDP at unit 28, ward 7 in Ikpoba Okhai LGA. The officer was arrested by APC supporters and handed over to the police who locked her up at Ugbekun police station.
The situation caused some tension in the polling unit before normalcy returned.
Shooting in Jettu
Voting in Polling Unit, Jettu, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo North, witnessed some violence, which disrupted the voting process.
Trouble started in the polling unit at about 2pm after some youths reportedly stormed the place creating confusion. The situation forced many of the voters scampering for safety.
Encouraging turnout as Anenih calls for peace among citizens
PDP’s Former Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Tony Anenih, told all Edo citizens to go about the election activities peacefully.
The former BOT Chairman made the call after casting his vote at Uzenema Primary School, Urue-Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area.
The PDP chieftain stated that there was need for the people to maintain peace during and after the poll “for the state to have full benefit of democracy’’.
He expressed great satisfaction with the timely arrival of electoral officials and materials as well as the peaceful conduct of the exercise in the area so far.
On security arrangement, the former minister of works said “as I said, it is too early to make a general statement”.
INEC gets commendation
John Yakubu, deputy governorship candidate of the PDP described the simultaneous accreditation and voting in the process as a perfect process.
“Rather than doing accreditation and coming back later to cast your vote, you do everything the same time and this is very good.
“I am alright with the whole process so far and I hope it continues that way, although I am hearing that there are pockets of violence in few areas around the senatorial district,” he said. Yakubu voted at 10.05 a.m. I Unit 8, Ward 3, Esan North-East Local Government Area.
Result coming in
INEC has warned social media users to disregard results that are been peddled.
However, authentic results have started trickling in as collation of results has started.
Results from over 104 polling units at the ongoing Edo governorship election has shown PDP in an early lead over the APC with 10,084 against 9167.
Below are the results:
Ward 7, Unit 16 APC – 121 PDP – 118
Oriedo Ward 1, Unit 13 APC – 135 PDP – 131
Oredo Ward 2, Unit 3 APC – 62 PDP – 72
Ewan Central Ward 10, Unit 7 APC – 75 PDP – 82
Owan West Ward 9, Unit 12 APC – 87 PDP – 122
Uhunmwode/02 PDP – 557 APC – 48 Invalid – 105 Egor 07/014 PDP – 125 APC – 116 Invalid – 21
Ikpoba Okha /35 PDP – 104 APC – 76 Invalid – 4
Oredo /12 PDP – 153 APC – 135
Ikpoba Okha Ward 3 , Unit 17 APC – 117 PDP – 17
Ovia North East Ward 12, Unit 11 APC – 19 PDP – 1935
Oredo 08/028 PDP – 85 APC – 90
Oredo 02/010 PDP – 132 APC – 106 Invalid – 20
Etsako Central 01/007 PDP – 60 APC – 41 Invalid – 8
Uhunmwode/001 PDP – 107 APC – 95 Invalid – 9
Orhionwon/007 PDP – 84 APC – 45 Invalid – 27
Owan East Eke Primary School 007/011 PDP – 120 APC – 107 Invalid – 229
Etsako Central Ward 1, Unit 7 APC – 41 PDP – 60
Esan Central, Ward 3, Unit 7: APC 65 PDP 74
Ikpoba-Okha Unit 16: APC 60 PDP 77
Akoko Edo, Ward 5, Unit 5: APC 58 PDP 46
Etsako West, Ward 11, Unit: APC 147 PDP 23
Orhionmwon, Ward 1, Unit 12: APC 119 PDP 70
Ewan Central, Ward 3, Unit 6: APC 76 PDP 65
Ikpoba-Okha, Unit 26: APC 64 PDP 75
Oredo, Ward 8, Unit 1: APC 174 PDP 56
Oredo, Ward 5, Unit 22: APC 76 PDP 41
Oredo LGA, Ward 12, Unit 2: APC 59 PDP 33
Esan West LGA, Ward 6, Unit 9: APC 111 PDP 118
Owan East, Ward 10, Unit 11: APC 107 PDP 120
Orhionmwon, Ward 5, unit 7: APC 84 PDP 27
Oredo LGA, Ward 7, Unit 3: APC 134 PDP 101
Ikpoba-Okha, Ward 3, Unit 3: APC 41 PDP 18
Owan West, Ward 2, Unit 6: APC 55 PDP 66
Esan Central, Ward 3, Unit 7: APC 65 PDP 95
Orhionmwon LGA, Igbanke West, Unit 12: APC 64 PDP 71
Owan LGA, Ward 3, Unit 5: APC 68 PDP 30
Oredo LGA, Ward 4, Unit 13 APC 42 PDP 69
Owan West, Ward 2Unit 12 APC 63 PDP 55
Owan East Warrake, Unit 1: APC 186 PDP 35
EGOR LGA, Ward 3, Unit 19 APC-117, KOWA-6, PDP-422, SDP-13, UPP-1
EGOR LGA, Ward 3,Unit 18 AA-23, APC-279, KOWA-17, PDP-288, SDP-21, UPP-0
EGOR Ward 3, Unit 17 AA-6 APC-67 KOWA-14 PDP-334 SDP-31 UPP-11
EGOR LGA, Ward 3,Unit 16 APC-179 KOWA-4 PDP-538 SDP-14 UPP-8.
Etsako Central, Ward 1, Unit 9: APC 42 PDP 42
Ovia North East, Ward 8, Unit 10: APC 57 PDP 50
