* As Obaseki Fumes Against INEC On Election Process

By Cosmas Enahoro (Edo State Correspondent)

As voting counting continues in the Edo state governorship poll, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Deputy Governorship candidate, Mallam Gani Audu, has predicted victory for APC.

He declared shortly after casting his votes while voting was ongoing, that he and the APC gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu would emerge winner in the much-awaited election.

Audu, a former Council Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Area, fulfilled his civic responsibility at 11:11 am on Saturday at Unit 13, Ward 7, Ughiole Primary School, Aviele, Etsako West LGA in Edo North Senatorial District.

Audu who is currently a member of the Edo State House of Assembly, described the turnout of voters as massive and impressive, being the first of its kind in the area. He also urged the voters across Edo state to continue to give peace a chance.

Audu claimed that there was violence in Ward 5, Agbede in the same Etsako West LGA, while adding that security agents were able to quickly restore normalcy, with voting continuing in the community.

The governorship election in Edo Central and Edo North Senatorial Districts witnessed heavy security and massive turnout of the electorate, with the weather being very clement and voting being done peacefully. Our reporter who visited Eguare Primary School, Ekpoma, Esan West LGA in Edo Central senatorial district saw voters who conducted themselves peacefully, with many security personnel deployed in the area.

While at Unit 13, Ward 7, Ughiole Primary School, Aviele, Etsako West LGA in Edo North senatorial district, a security helicopter overflew the area around 10:02 am, to ensure that the election was devoid of violence and thuggery.

Besides the voters from Unit 13, Ward 7, other voters of Unit 14 in the same Ughiole Primary School, Aviele also performed their civic responsibility by voting for candidates of their choice.

A member of staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Unit 13, Ward 7, Aviele, who simply identified herself as Miss Favour, described the election as peaceful, with the voters being orderly.

Meanwhile, Governor Godwin Obaseki has expressed his displeasure over the electoral conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in the ongoing Edo gubernatorial election.

After casting his vote at polling unit 19, ward 4, Oredo local government area of the state, Obaseki, who is also the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, complained about the delay experienced in the voting exercise. The governor said he expected a better planning.

“I expected that INEC would have prepared better for this election. I waited for one and half hours on the queue before exercising my franchise, it’s a beat disappointing,” he said. “Giving that this is a sole day election, I expected a better planning for this election. Card readers were very slow and that’s the situation. NNL.