Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has described the voter turnout in the ongoing local government election as encouraging, saying it reflects growing public confidence in his administration.
The governor made the remarks on Saturday after casting his vote at Ward 2, Udomi Primary School, in Esan Central Local Government Area.
Okpebholo arrived at his polling unit at about 10:24 a.m., joined other voters in the queue and cast his ballot at approximately 10:40 a.m.
He commended residents for their orderly conduct and expressed satisfaction with reports indicating that the election was progressing peacefully across the state.
According to the governor, the high turnout demonstrates the strength of grassroots democracy and the commitment of Edo residents to electing leaders who will oversee the administration of their local governments.
He urged voters to remain peaceful throughout the electoral process and to await the official declaration of results by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).
Meanwhile, residents in parts of Benin City reportedly defied the statewide restriction on vehicular and human movement imposed by the Edo State Police Command for the duration of the election.
Commercial buses, tricycles, private vehicles and traders were seen operating in several parts of the metropolis, including Ring Road, Airport Road and the New Benin axis, despite the restriction scheduled to last from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The restriction was introduced as part of security measures aimed at ensuring a peaceful, orderly and credible election, preventing the movement of hoodlums and facilitating the smooth deployment of electoral personnel and materials.
Some residents and commercial drivers claimed they were unaware of the directive, while others said they continued their daily activities because there was little or no voting activity at their polling units.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that voter turnout appeared low in several polling units visited across Benin metropolis, with accreditation still ongoing in some locations as of mid-morning.
The Edo local government election is being conducted across the state’s 18 local government areas to elect chairmen and councillors.
