By Reporters
The Edo Llocal Government Area election on Saturday , has so far been characterised by late arrival of voting materials and low voters turnout in some polling units monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin City.
NAN correspondents, who monitored the situation in the metropolis, observed that 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.
NAN observed that election officials were already at the centre as early as 7:30 a.m., while some voters arrived before 8:00 a.m. in anticipation of the exercise.
Ballot boxes and other election materials for the chairmanship and councillorship election arrived at about 8:20 a.m., paving the way for voting to commence later.
Security presence also increased steadily, rising from three police officers at about 7:35 a.m. to 12 personnel before voting began, which ensured a seamless process.
However, in spite the 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.
Traders engaging in commercial activities at the Ring Road, Benin City
At the Oyeogun 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 9:00 a.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.
NAN correspondents report that 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 9:00 a.m.
Our correspondents also observed that 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.
NAN reports that voting eventually commenced at 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.
Voting situation at Units 1-10 of Ward 8, Egor Local Government Area of Edo
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.
When NAN visited the polling centre at about 10:00 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.