Tension is rising on who will rule Edo State, South-South Region of Nigeria as a Governor for the next four years.
The battle to control the soul of Government House, Benin City is a hot contest between the incumbent, Mr. Godwin Obaseki who is gunning for the a second term under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu seeking the coveted seat under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fourteen political parties are jostling for the governorship position comprising two females and 14 males.
Edo South Senatorial District has about 1,000,000 registered voters; Edo North has 500,000 voters while Edo Central has about 300,000 voters.
Of the 2,210,534 registered voters, 1,700,000 voters collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards while 4,500,000 did not collect their PVCs.
Already, voting and accreditation are ongoing in various polling units in Edo State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki was accredited at United Baptist Church, Oredo LG ward 4 where he cast his vote.
Former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole cast his ballot at ward 10, Etsako West local government area.
Already, voting and accreditation are ongoing in various polling units in Edo State.
Pastor Ize-Iyamu, the APC Governorship candidate who was accredited at Iguododo polling unit voted there too.
After voting, Ize-Iyamu while speaking with journalists extolled Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the peaceful accreditation and voting in the area.
He expressed the hope that the process adopted by INEC could be replicated in all the polling units in the state to avoid violence and crisis.
The PDP candidate comes from Oredo local government area while the APC candidate hails from Orhionmwon local government area.
Adams Oshiohmole, the immediate past APC National Chairman and a one-time Edo and Philip Shuaibu, the Governor Deputy Governor to Obaseki, as well as Deputy running mate of Ize-Iyamu, Honourable Gani Daudu are from Edo North. Oshiohmole comes from ward 10, Daudu from ward 7, while Shuaibu is from ward 11.
During the 2019 presidential election, PDP got 54% while APC polled 46%.
