PDP candidate, Ighodalo is leading in the Edo South Senatorial District, while APC’s Okpebholo holds sway in the Northern Senatorial District
By Kehinde Okeowo
The ruling party in Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), and one of the major contenders in Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), are in a neck and neck race.
This is as a quick check of results on the IReV portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday morning revealed that the electoral body has uploaded about 97 per cent of the 4,519 polling units in the state.
As seen on the portal, the results so far released showed that the race is too close to call between Asue Ighodalo of the PDP and his APC counterpart, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
While the PDP candidate is leading in the Edo South Senatorial District, APC candidate holds sway in the Edo North Senatorial District.
Although the Labour Party, LP, was projected as a big force in the race, the party was coming a distant third, according to the results uploaded on the IReV portal of the electoral umpire so far.
Apart from these, the results also showed that political heavy-weights such as Governor Godwin Obaseki, Ighodalo, PDP deputy governorship candidate, Osarodion Ogie, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole won their polling units, while the LP candidate, Olumide Akpata, lost his unit to PDP.
Meanwhile, tension is boiling over in Edo State over allegations of attempts to alter the result of the governorship election held on Saturday, September 21.
Many have alleged of attempts to relocate the collation centres contrary to the dictates of the Electoral Act.
However, after immense pressure from Governor Godwin Obaseki, his Delta State counterpart, Sheriff Oborevwori and other stakeholders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), INEC has decided to postpone the collation of results of the governorship election to 10 am on Sunday, September 22.
In a statement, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, announced the development in the early hours of this morning.
“This is to inform the general public, political stakeholders and observers that the collation of results for the ongoing Edo State Governorship election will resume today (Sunday) 22nd September, 2024 at 10.00am,” the REC said.
