Voters in parts of Edo North senatorial district on Saturday defied early morning rain and trooped out in their large numbers to participate in the ongoing 2024 governorship election in the state.
As early as 8am, voters in Estako East, Estako West and Estako Central local government areas of the State trooped out to their various polling units to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice.
The situation was not different in Auchi town in Estako West LGA, which doubles as the headquarters of Edo North Senatorial District.
Security operatives were also on ground in the various wards and polling units to monitor the exercise.
A visit by LEADERSHIP to Units 16, 8, 1, 11, 10 Ogute in Okpella Ward 6, Unit 12, Okpella Ward 8, and Unit 4, Okpella Ward 8, in Estako East LGA, showed security agents, voters and INEC officials on ground getting ready for the all-important poll as early as 8 a.m.
In Iyamho town, the country home of the former governor of the state and the senator representing Edo North, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, people of the town came out en-mass to exercise their franchise.
Oshiomole who denied allegations that the All Progressives Congress (APC) stock-pilled money to buy votes in the ongoing election in the state, commended voters in the senatorial district for coming out massively to cast their votes.
Addressing journalists after voting at Iyamho, Ward 10 Unit 01 in Estako West local government area of Edo State, the former governor said he had not received any report of violence from anywhere across the state, as the election was ongoing.
While noting that the voting had been going on peacefully, Oshiomhole said, “It is laughable when I heard this kind of allegation. You have been here before I came. Did you see anywhere where they are sharing money? People turned out in large numbers to vote for us because they wanted good government.
“During our campaign, people came out to see me not because I wanted to give them something but because of what I have done for them while I was in the office as the governor.
“All structures that I have put in place 12, 13 years ago are still there but the ones put up by the present administration, in one year, they are washed off. So our people have seen the difference.
“Some people do tell me that since I left the government, they haven’t seen the real presence of the government in their communities.”
Also, the former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, decried non-functioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation Machine (BVAS) machines in his voting unit in Azama Primary School Unit 5, Ward 11, Azama, Estako West.
Shuaibu who complained about the non-functioning of BVAS, said the unit was the only unit that has the largest voters in the area.
Addressing journalists in his voting unit, Shuaibu said, “Actually we have been talking to INEC about this development and they assured us that they are already finding solutions to it.
“Maybe it is sabotage, I don’t know. Every other place is calm except for this particular unit. This is the polling unit that has the highest voters. You can see the crowd now.
“That is why I am here to calm the people. You can see that we have to go and get a canopy for them to sit under. I am optimistic that they will fix it and extend the voting time. I think about two thousand voters will be disenfranchised if it does not work.
“I can see that the INEC lady is sweating and making an effort. I want to believe that that effort is genuine. That is why I don’t want to give it a name yet. ”
Announcing the result of the poll after the sorting and counting at the polling unit of Comrade Oshiomhole, the major opposition in the state won by a large majority of total votes cast.
APC scored 403 votes against the PDP and ADC’s one vote each at Oshiomhole’s polling unit Ward 10, Unit 1, Etsako West local government area of the state.
