The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, has reacted to the alleged compromise of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying he would like to keep an open mind and give the commission the benefit of the doubt.
Ighodalo also lamented late arrivals by the officials of the INEC in some polling units across the state.
Meanwhile, Tribune Online reports there was a massive turnout of voters in Edo Central senatorial district of the state for the governorship election as some of the voters arrived early at the voting centres.
In Idinrio, Okaigben in Ward 1 unit 3, where the PDP candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, is expected to cast his vote, voters have been seated for hours expecting the arrival of INEC officials who arrived at around 10:31 am.
The voters organised themselves under a canopy to avoid being beaten by the rain and waited patiently for the arrival of the INEC officials.
The security operatives attached to the unit whi arrived at the venue as early as 8:34 am, assured the voters that the officials are on their way.
The presence of the governorship candidate of the PDP changed the atmosphere and assured the voters that the voting would commence soon.
He lamented over the lateness of INEC officials and electoral matters to the area and called for a three-month extension to accommodate every voter.
Speaking during an interview, Ighodalo said, “Our people have been patient and I love the way they have been patient, though they are here now.”
Speaking on reports across the state, he said “I want to keep an open mind because we had rumours before that INEC has been compromised but I don’t want to believe, I want to give the benefit of the doubt that INEC will create a free and fair level playing field.
“What I heard before is that INEC will be suppressed in our stronghold, but I still want to give the benefit of the doubt and let’s see how things will go in the next few hours.
“We noticed that in many of strongholds, there’s delay a bit. I don’t want to jump to conclusions because the INEC chairman has assured us that they are going to do everything humanly possible to ensure a free and fair election. I don’t see any reason why we should not believe them and the rest of the day will show whether they truly acted to their words.
According to him, “In one of the wards here, ward 10 in my local government, there’s no material, no officials, we don’t have anything yet but it may be because of the distance.
“But I want everybody to be calm and should come out to vote, they shouldn’t be intimidated. They should come out in numbers to vote, they shouldn’t be afraid of anything, because when you come out to vote in numbers, you will prevails, but when you allow yourself to be cowed or intimidated, then your will is subverted and what they need today is for the will of the people to prevail.
“One thing that is bothering me is that there are people moving around and not in police or army uniform, and they are arresting our supporters. Like we have in Uromi ward 8 unit 3, one of our men is arrested by some men in mufti, carrying guns. Nobody should carry gun to the polling unit, it is against the law, rules and regulations”
However, Ighodalo and his wife Ifeyinwa voted at his Okaegben ward one, unit 3, Ewohimi, after the exercise officially commenced at 10:45 am due late arrival of INEC officials.
Before Ighodalo voted some elderly men and women including People living disability were given the preference to cast their vote.
Voters were also accredited and cast their notes at vote at units 3 and 15, in Okaegben ward one, Ewohimi, in Esan South East Local Government of Edo state
An 80- year old woman, Madam Ruth Bello, who spoke with our reporter after her voting, described the election as peaceful, noting that the process was easy
Speaking with journalists shortly after voting, Pa Wilson Bello said the voting process was simple and very easy, saying “if the INEC officials continue like this, voting would end by 2 p.m”
She appealed to the people to be orderly and patiently wait to protect their vote and wait for the outcome of the election.
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