By Gift Esumike
Some voters in Saturday’s local government election in Edo have attributed the generally low turnout recorded across many polling units to the decision of major opposition political parties to boycott the election.
The voters, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at different polling units in Benin City, said the absence of key opposition parties appeared to have reduced public interest in the election.
Mr Fidelis Onwuma, who voted at the Imaguero Primary School Polling Unit 1, Ward 11, Oredo Local Government Area, said turnout was lower in the 2026 election unlike previous elections.
“Major opposition parties did not field candidates and their absence reduced voters’ interest in the election,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Abisoye Lawal, attributed the apathy to the generally low level of public interest associated with local government election
“I will say people don’t have much interest in local government election, the way they do in presidential and national assembly elections,” Lawal said.
He added that election for chairmanship and councillorship usually attracted fewer voters than higher level contests.
Similarly, Mr John Esele told NAN that some eligible voters might have stayed away because of their experience during the previous local government election, where voters reportedly assembled but election officials did not arrive.
He urged residents to however, not abandon the electoral process, describing voting as a civic responsibility.
Another voter, who simply wanted to be called Osas, said he participated in a local government election for the first time because someone he knew is contesting for councillorship.
He said that he had previously not considered such elections important enough to participate in.
NAN recalls that the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) cleared 12 political parties for the election across the state’s 18 local government areas
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and some other major opposition parties boycotted the exercise. (NAN)