‘Suyi Ayodele
A Benin palace Chief and the Odionwere of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, on Saturday cast his vote at the House of Assembly elections, 72 years after he first voted in the then Western regional election of December 1951.
Edebiri, who holds the title of Esogban of Benin kingdom, which in modern parlance is the oldest man in the Kingdom (Odionwere), expressed delight that he could witness come out again to exercise his franchise even at age 94.
The nonagenarian, who attributed the low turnout of voters to the frustration of the youthful voters who trooped out on February 25, said that since he voted at the age of 22 in December 1951, he had voted in all other elections held at any level in the country
“I am here to vote as I did two weeks ago, on February 25, at the presidential and National Assembly elections. It will interest you to know that I started voting at the age of 22 in December 1951 in the regional election to the house of assembly elections at Ibadan. We were then part of the Western Region. Since then. I have not failed to vote in any election be it national or sub-national. I thank God I am alive to vote in this election”, the Esogban enthused.
On the voter’s apathy at the election, the Benin Chief noted that that was expected given that those who came out to vote on February 25 were not real party members. Still, those with a mission “to make a statement” but met with disappointment.
“Some of the things that happened last two weeks were just a fluke. Those who voted were not members of the party. They came for a certain purpose to make some statements and when those statements failed, their interests died”, the Esogban submitted.
He described the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections as the best he had ever witnessed in his 72 of voting.
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