After about an hours delay of the commencement of the 2023 Edo State Local Government Council election in Oredo Ward 3 following the non-availability of voting materials, elections have commenced across different polling centres in the Ward.
Voting materials first arrived at Ezomo Primary School voting centres along Eheneden Street, off Ekenhuan Road at about 1:40 pm in an election scheduled to commence by 8:00 am before moving to other voting centres in the Ward.
This is even as supporters of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) expressed fears of compromise following alleged shortage of ballot papers.
Our correspondent who visited some voting centres across the Ward, beginning from 7:30 am witnessed a large turnout of voters who were eagerly waiting for the arrival of voting materials.
In a visit to Owegie, Ezomo, Oba Ewuare, Owina, all public schools in Benin, election presiding officers and other officials including security operatives detailed for the election were seen in a relaxing mood, awaiting the arrival of materials.
At Oba Akenzua and Ezomo Schools along 2nd Cemetery Road in Uzebu Quarters, voting materials were not in sight, just as there was presence of heavy security operatives on ground.
Speaking to cross section of the voters in the Ward, the people expressed mixed feelings over the conduct of the election.
While some of the voters attributed the delay of materials to the ward in what they termed normality, others alleged the delay was an indication that the election was already compromised in the Ward.
As at the time of this report, results of the election were not announced.
