The Nation Newspaper

Category: EDO 2016

  • Edo governorship poll records impressive voters’ turnout

    The governorship election in Edo has recorded an impressive turnout with voters arriving at polling stations in large numbers across the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as early as 7:30 a.m., voters were seen in large numbers eager to cast their vote in all the polling centres visited.

    It was also observed that the exercise in all the polling stations monitored was peaceful and orderly.

    Security personnel were deployed to ensure orderliness at the polling stations.

    NAN reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials also arrived early with election materials and the exercise has commenced.

  • Edo: Card reader stops working in Unit 20

    The card reader being used for accreditation in Unit 20 Ward 4 at Emokpae primary school has stopped working.

    Voters that queued at the unit are now undecided on what to do.

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said they have informed their superiors about the malfunction and another card reader is on the way.

  • Photo: Obaseki, wife on queue for accreditation

    Photo: Obaseki, wife on queue for accreditation

  • Photo: Obaseki arrives polling unit

    Photo: Obaseki arrives polling unit

  • Photo: Voting commences in Edo

    Photo: Voting commences in Edo

    The APC governorship candidate in Edo, Godwin Obaseki, surrounded by supporters after arriving at his polling unit on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor
    The APC governorship candidate in Edo, Godwin Obaseki, surrounded by supporters after arriving at his polling unit on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor

     

    Obaseki and his wife, Besty, waiting for accreditation on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor
    Obaseki and his wife, Besty, waiting for accreditation on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor

     

    Voters waiting for accreditation in Edo State on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor
    Voters waiting for accreditation in Edo State on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor

     

    Voters waiting for accreditation in Edo State on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor
    Voters waiting for accreditation in Edo State on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor
  • Accreditation, voting commence in Edo

    Accreditation, voting commence in Edo

    Accreditation and voting commenced in some parts of Benin City and its environs as early as 8:00am on Wednesday.

    In Ward two at George Idah primary school voting materials were distributed to other units in the ward.

    Security agents were also seen escorting out materials.

    Voters had already queued up at several voting points in George Idah at time of filing this report.

    At Emokpe primary school in Ward four,  voters’ turnout was quite impressive.

     

  • Edo to elect Oshiomhole’s successor

    Edo to elect Oshiomhole’s successor

    The Edo State governorship election takes place in 18 local government areas of the state on Wednesday.

    A total of 1, 925, 105 people will cast their votes to determine who succeeds Adams Oshiomhole in the state Government House.

    More than 10 political parties will take part in the election but the key contestants are the ruling All Progress Congress (APC) and the People Democratic Party (PDP).

    Godwin Obaseki represents the APC, while Pastor Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu carries the PDP flag in the election.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct the election in 2,627 polling units – comprising 4011 voting points across the 192 wards in the state.

  • #EdoDecide: Transport companies make brisk business

    Transport companies on Tuesday recorded high patronage as travelers thronged the various major parks in Benin ahead of Wednesday’s governorship election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most of the parks visited on Tuesday witnessed large number of passengers waiting to board buses to their various destinations to exercise their franchise.

    Mr Oshoke Mamazu, a driver with Afemai Motors, who plies Benin to Auchi, told NAN that more than 30 buses loaded with passengers had left the park to various parts of the state.

    “We used to load 10 to 15 buses with passengers daily, but today as I speak with you, more than 30 buses loaded with passengers have left this park.

    “Although we have a lot of passengers on ground, the fare remains N800.00,” Mamazu said.

    NAN observed that because of the large passenger turnout some travellers were stranded at Owan-West motor Park.

    One of the passengers, Mrs Roseline Imogan, said, “I have been here for almost four hours waiting to board a bus to Afuze, but there are no buses to convey us to our various destinations”.

    ” Mr Etinosa Ebogbe, Manager, “God is Good Motors’, said, “the number of passengers has increased since this morning, but there is no increment in fares”.

    NAN reports that the situation was the same in many of the intra-city motor parks in Benin.

  • Edo Polls: PDP caucus alleges APC, INEC of conspiracy to rig

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and some personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are conspiring to rig Wednesday’s governorship polls in Edo state, the caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives has alleged.

    Compromising INEC staff, issuance of sensitive materials including result sheets before elections and alteration of card readers, among others  are the means to be employed to carry out the rigging, the leader of caucus, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) said at a briefing on Tuesday.

    “INEC surreptitiously and in conjunction with APC compiled names and list of INEC staff and persons sympathetic with APC to superintend over election to skew same in favour of APC.

    “Thus, INEC staff earlier listed for the elections were all replaced majorly with people from a particular section of the country, claiming that most people from the South-south are sympathetic to the PDP.

    “There was an arrangement to issue sensitive materials such as results sheets and incident forms to the APC before the election to enable them originate fake results and submit same with the assistance of security men.

    “Some top APC members were arranging with ICT experts and some INEC officials to alter the card readers to be used for the election to give an inaccurate figure, which was not generated from the legitimate accreditation in the field.

    “Additionally, INEC unlawfully agreed with some security agencies to move collation centres to police station, saying the action was to give the APC, who are ill-prepared and indeed not capable of winning any free and fair election in Edo State, the covering to bring in compromised results for the Returning Officers to announce,” he said.

    Ogor, who was accompanied by several members of the caucus said the APC in the State, in conjunction with some security agencies have consistently harassed PDP members in the various local governments of the state ahead of the election.

    The security report which was used as excuse to postpone the election would also be deployed as grounds to militarise Edo to ward off any anti APC voter, Ogor alleged.

    The caucus however appealed to the electoral umpire to live above board, saying, “We urge INEC as an independent and unbiased umpire to forestall these evil arrangements and uphold its integrity. The issues raised herein should be taken seriously and acted upon by civil society, the Nigerian public and the press to give credibility to the electoral process”.

  • #EdoDecide: PDP caucus alleges APC, INEC of conspiracy to rig

    #EdoDecide: PDP caucus alleges APC, INEC of conspiracy to rig

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) and some personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are conspiring to rig Wednesday’s governorship polls in Edo state, the caucus of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives has alleged.

    Compromising INEC staff, issuance of sensitive materials including result sheets before elections and alteration of card readers, among others  are the means to be employed to carry out the rigging, the leader of caucus, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta) said at a briefing Tuesday.

    “INEC surreptitiously and in conjunction with APC compiled names and list of INEC staff and persons sympathetic with APC to superintend over election to skew same in favour of APC.

    “Thus, INEC staff earlier listed for the elections was all replaced majorly with people from a particular section of the country, claiming that most people from the South-south are pathetic to the PDP.

    “There was an arrangement to issue sensitive materials such as results sheets and incident forms to the APC before the election to enable them originate fake results and submit same with the assistance of security men.

    “Some top APC members were arranging with ICT experts and some INEC officials to alter the card readers to be used for the election to give an inaccurate figure, which was not generated from the legitimate accreditation in the field.

    “Additionally, INEC unlawfully agreed with some security agencies to move collation centres to police station, saying the action was to give the APC, who are ill-prepared and indeed not capable of winning any free and fair election in Edo State, the covering to bring in compromised results for the Returning Officers to announce,” he said.

    Ogor, who was accompanied by several members of the caucus, said the APC in the State, in conjunction with some security agencies have consistently harassed PDP members in the various local governments of the state ahead of the election.

    The security report which was used as excuse to postpone the election would also be deployed as grounds to militarise Edo to ward off any anti APC voter, Ogor alleged.

    The caucus however appealed to the electoral umpire to live above board, saying, “We urge INEC as an independent and unbiased umpire to forestall these evil arrangements and uphold its integrity. The issues raised herein should be taken seriously and acted upon by civil society, the Nigerian public and the press to give credibility to the electoral process”.