Voters in Edo State will go to the polls today to elect a new governor.
A total of 17 candidates, including 16 men and one woman, will be on the ballot for the off-cycle gubernatorial race, which observers have described as “high stakes.”
However, it is shaping up to be a three-horse race between Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP), Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Data from the INEC portal show that there are 2,629,025 registered voters in the state, but only 2,249,780 voters have collected their Permanent Voter Credential (CVP).
In terms of the total number of PVCs collected, Edo South Senatorial District, which has seven local government areas, leads with 1,254,424 PVCs collected, representing 55.76 per cent of the total. Edo North Senatorial District is a distant second with 629,397 PVCs collected, representing 27.98 per cent, while Edo Central Senatorial District has a total of 365,959 PVCs collected, representing 16.27 per cent.
Edo State is divided into 18 local government areas, 192 constituencies and 4,519 electoral units.
Barring any logistical difficulties, the voting process will begin at 8:30 am and end at 2:30 pm. However, in accordance with INEC guidelines for the election, voters who are already at their polling stations by 2:30 pm will be allowed to vote.
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Security agencies deployed their personnel massively for the elections; the police alone had 35,000 officers. The electoral body, INEC, accredited 134 national and foreign observers to monitor the process.
He also exonerated hundreds of journalists to ensure their coverage.
Whoever wins today's election will be sworn in in November when the second and final four-year term of incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki expires.
PREMIUM TIMES will be in Edo to bring you live updates on the elections.
Please stay on this page for updates.