Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The much awaited local government election in Edo State began on a peaceful note across the State on Saturday.

Candidates of 10 political parties are contesting for 18 chairmanship positions and 192 councillorship positions.

Political parties taking part in the election include the ruling APC, Action Democratic Party (ADP), Labour Party (LP), Democratic Alternatives (DA), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN); Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPP), National Conscience Party (NCP); Social Democratic Party (SDP); Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC), and Progressive People Alliance (PPA).

The election has generated controversies here and there, with the main opposition party, the PDP, withdrawing participation in the election.

The PDP which has since gone to court to challenge the State House of Assembly’s power to amend the electoral law, alleged that the ruling APC has already paffected plans to rig the election in favour of it’s candidates, an allegation Governor Godwin Obaseki has since debunked.

The election exuded excitement among the people in most places visited, as they turned out in large numbers at their respective voting units asarly as 7 am, to exercise their franchise.

Late arrival of voting materials and low turn out of voters characterised many poling units in Benin, the State headquarters.

The story was however different in Ovia South-West and Ovia North-East local government areas, where voters turned out in relatively large numbers.

Distribution of materials began as early as 7 am at the Divisional Police Office, Iguobazuwa, the administrative headquarters of Ovia South-West local government area.

Also, ad-hoc staff of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), arrived at their duty post early enough to attend to the electorate.

Voting centres visited included Unit 5, ward 1, in Aifesoba village, ward 2, unit 5, Iguobazuwa, East ward, units 1 to 4, West ward, units 1 to 5.

Accreditation of voters and voting commenced simultaneously at most of the centres as early as 8.20 am.

Speaking to journalists at the East ward, unit 1, in Iguobazuwa, where he voted, the APC chairmanship candidate, Destiny Enabulele, praised the people for turning out in large numbers.

He said if he eventually get elected, he would empower the people, rather than sharing money to them.

“We appreciate the people of Iguobazuwa. You can see the large turn out and more are still coming out, despite an order by one of the political parties appealing to their members not to come out.

“The primary concern of a government is the welfare and security of the people, it is very paramount. This is a local government, government at the grassroots. We will do the needful, like grading of roads to open up farm lands, to create vocational​ centres to empower the teaming youths, because, the issue of sharing money is no longer with this present administration, so, we want to empower them,” Enabulele said.

Voting is still much underway, as at the time of filing this report.