The atmosphere at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation center in Benin City grew tense early Sunday morning as the presence of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, sparked a heated protest by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The center is the venue for the final collation of results for the highly anticipated Edo State governorship election.
Governor Obaseki’s unexpected arrival at the collation center drew immediate attention and opposition from the APC, whose members viewed his presence as inappropriate. Leading the protest was the APC deputy governorship candidate, Dennis Idahosa, who vocally expressed his displeasure, arguing that the governor had no legitimate reason to be at the center.
“Obaseki must come out. He is not supposed to be here. He is not an INEC staff. Nigeria Police should not compromise,” Idahosa shouted as he led the protest, accusing the governor of potentially interfering with the collation process.
The scene quickly grew chaotic as protesters, including APC supporters, banged on the gates of the collation center, demanding that Obaseki leave the premises. Security agents stationed at the center were on high alert, preventing the protesters from gaining entry, while maintaining order despite the growing commotion.
The tension surrounding Obaseki’s presence underscored the high stakes of the governorship election, with the two leading candidates, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Monday Okpebholo of the APC, both locked in a tight race. Observers note that either candidate could emerge victorious as the final results are being tallied.
INEC has made significant progress in processing the election results, having uploaded 98.23% of the results from polling units across the state to its INEC Results Viewing (IREV) portal. While the IREV portal provides transparency by allowing the public to view the uploaded results in real-time, the official outcome will still be determined through the formal collation process.
Despite the tension at the collation center, the election process has continued, with INEC officials working meticulously to collate the results from all the Local Government Areas in Edo State. Once the collation is complete, INEC will officially declare the winner of the governorship election.
Governor Obaseki’s presence has heightened political drama in the final hours of the election process. The APC, which has been vigorously contesting the governorship seat, views his involvement as suspicious, while the PDP remains confident in their candidate’s performance.
As the state awaits the final announcement, the situation at the collation center remains under close watch, with security forces ensuring the safety of INEC officials and preventing any further disruption.
This year’s Edo governorship election has garnered nationwide attention, with many seeing it as a crucial test of Nigeria’s democratic processes. With 98.23% of the results uploaded, the outcome remains unpredictable, but it is clear that the stakes are high for both parties as they vie for control of the state’s leadership. The final declaration of the winner is expected to come shortly once the remaining results are officially collated and announced by INEC.
