EDO 2020: VOTE COUNTING BEGINS IN A FAIRLY PEACEFUL ELECTION DEVOID OF COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Vote counting has begun in Edo State following a fairly peaceful election.
The people of Edo state gathered at the poll on Saturday, September 19 to elect a leader to drive the affairs of the state for the next four years.
The outcome of today’s poll would determine if Governor Obaseki would continue running the affairs of Edo state for the next four years or handover to another newly elected Governor.
Out of the 14 political candidates registered by INEC, the spotlight is on two major contestants, the incumbent governor-Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressive Congress APC.
READ ALSO: EDO 2020: IGP ORDERS RESTRICTION OF MOVEMENT
Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu both switched parties at dire minutes to the elections.
Social distancing and the use of facemasks were not observed in most of the polling units. Some of the voters who came with their facemasks wore it on their chin.
STOMACH POLITICS
In some units, party agents could be seen distributing food and snacks to sway voters, while some distributed N1,000 notes.
Some party agents distributed food and money to voters.
SECURITY
Most of the reports from Edo states that security officials were alert and on the ground to quickly nip all forms of unrest or disturbances in the bud.
CARD READERS SLOW
In some polling units, voters complained of their card readers being too slow. Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Godwin Obaseki also echoed this complaint.
The incumbent Governor complained that he had to wait for over one and half hours before he could cast his vote because the card reader was slow.
“I expected better preparation on the part of those saddled with the responsibility to conduct this election. To wait for one and a half hours on the queue before exercising my franchise is a bit disappointing.
“Given that this is a sole day’s election, I expected better planning and preparation and resources should have been put into this election,” Obaseki told reporters.
Despite the hitch here and there, voter turnout has been impressive. The people and the world, in general, await the result of today’s election.
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