Low Turnout, Delayed Materials Mar Edo LG Election

Today’s local government election in Edo State recorded a low voter turnout across several polling units, as monitored by journalists.

Naija News understands that although voting materials arrived early in some areas, only a few residents turned out to cast their ballots, leaving many polling centres without the usual crowds associated with major elections.

At Agbado Primary School in Oredo Ward 4, where Polling Units 21 to 41 were located, electoral materials arrived on time, and officials were ready for the exercise.

However, according to Daily Trust, only a handful of voters were seen at the centre, while the environment remained largely quiet.

Those who came to vote were attended to without delay and left shortly after casting their ballots.

The situation was different in parts of Egor Local Government Area, where electoral materials arrived late at several polling units.

As of 9 a.m., voters who arrived early at Polling Units 9, 10, 11 and 12 in Ward 10, located within Ugbowo Primary School, were still waiting for electoral officials and voting materials.

Some of the voters remained around the polling centre in anticipation of the commencement of accreditation and voting.

Voting, however, began early at Polling Units 1 to 10 in Ward 8, located within Uselu Secondary School.

Despite the early commencement, the number of voters at the centre remained relatively low.

Speaking at Oredo Ward 12, Polling Unit 21, a voter, Austin Obasogie, described the exercise as peaceful and expressed optimism that more voters would arrive later.

“As you can see, people are still coming to vote. I am here to vote for the All Progressives Congress, and I have cast my vote,” he said.

Another voter, Mrs Blessing Odion, who cast her ballot at Polling Units 1 to 6 in Ward 12, Oredo Local Government Area, said the voting process was seamless.

Odion acknowledged that the turnout was low but suggested that many residents might be adopting a walk-in voting pattern, which allowed them to arrive, vote and leave immediately.

She added that electoral materials arrived early at the polling centre, enabling officials to begin the exercise without major delay.

A voter at Polling Unit 5, Moses Osadolor, said voting commenced early in the area because it served as the local government distribution centre for electoral materials.

Osadolor also confirmed that voter turnout was low, although he said some residents had already voted and left the premises.

“But I understand some people have come and gone back,” he said.

The polling exercise was generally peaceful at the locations visited, with no major security incident recorded at the time of filing this report.

However, the low presence of voters and the delayed arrival of electoral officials and materials in some parts of Egor were among the major observations recorded during the election.