Edo On 12-Hour Lockdown Today As 2.6m Voters Decide Obaseki’s Successor

Police will be restricting vehicular movement in Edo State today with the holding of the off-cycle governorship election.

DIG Frank Mba and DIG Daniel Pedro are leading some 35,000 Police personnel deployed to Edo for the poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission says that out of 2,629,025 registered voters in Edo State, 2,249,780 Permanent Voter’s Cards have been collected, representing 85.57 percent of the total.

The new register represents a 4.9 percent increase over the 2023 general election figure of 2,501,081.

The contest to find a replacement for incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki is among 16 men and one one female candidate who flies the flag for PRP.

Contesting are:

1. Iyere Kennedy – Accord Party (A)
2. Iseghohi Tom – Action Alliance (AA)
3. David Udoh Oberaifo – African Action Congress (AAC)
4. Derek Izedonmwen Osarenren– Africa Democratic Congress (ADC)
5. Kingson Akhimie Afeare – Action Democratic Party (ADP)
6. Monday Okpebholo– All Progressives Congress (APC)
7. Isaiah Osifo – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
8. Odaro Ugiagbe– Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
9. Amos Areloegbe – Action Peoples Party (APP)
10. Edeipo Osiariame – Boot Party (BP)
11. Olumide Akpata – Labour Party (LP)
12. Friday Azemhe Azena – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
13. Asuerinme Ighodalo – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
14. Patience Key Ndidi – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
15. Abdulai Anerua Aliu – Social Democratic Party (SDP)
16. Paul Okungbowa Ovbokhan – Young Progressives Party (YPP)
17. Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The Inspector-General of Police has ordered the restriction of all vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation from 6:00am to 6:00pm.

The Friday statement, however, said exceptions will be made for essential services, including accredited media, electoral officials, ambulances, and emergency responders.

Statistics from INEC indicated that in Edo State’s 2,629,025 registered voters:

• 1,370,061 are male, representing 52.11 percent
• 1,258,964 are female, making up 47.89 percent
• 983,133 voters are youths aged 18 to 35, accounting for 37.4 percent
• 914,806 individuals are middle-aged 36 to 49, comprising 72.2 percent
• 868,764 students constitute the majority of voters or 33.05 percent
• 4,199 persons with disabilities, representing 0.16 percent of the voters.