#EdoDecides2024: Late commencement of voting marks poll – YIAGA

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth, and Advancement (YIAGA), a civil society organisation, has released a preliminary report on the ongoing governorship election in Edo State.

Residents of the state are currently voting to elect a new governor to succeed Governor Godwin Obaseki.

A total of 17 candidates, comprising 16 males and a female are contesting the poll.

There are 4,519 polling units spread across the 18 local government areas of the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduled the election to hold between 8.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.

In the report, YIAGA said there was late commencement of voting in most of the polling units in the state.

The group said INEC officials arrived late at many PUs across the three senatorial districts in the state.

The report said as of 7.30 a.m. only 68 per cent of the officials arrived promptly in Edo North and 58 per cent in Edo South.

It said Edo Central had the lowest turnout of officials, with only 38 per cent of them arriving on time.

It said cumulatively only about 41 per cent of polling units witnessed the arrival of INEC officials by 7:30 a.m. and only 17 per cent of polling units commenced accreditation and voting.

YIAGA explained that these findings were sampled in about 253 of 300 polling units across the state.

Earlier complaints

PREMIUM TIMES’ reporters in Edo also observed the late arrival of INEC officials in many polling units.

Some voters and election observers had complained about the late arrival of INEC officials and materials at the polling units to commence the process.

At 8:40 a.m., Mr Giwa, an observer, complained on Arise News Television that vehicles to transport the ad hoc staff to their various polling units were not on ground at the Oredo centre where elections materials were distributed.

Similarly, at about 10 a.m., voters in Ward 1, Unit 3 at Ewohinmi, Esan South-east local government area of the state, were seen sitting under the canopies awaiting the arrival of INEC officials.

The development prompted the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, to appeal to the electoral body to extend the voting time in areas where the exercise did not commence on time.