In the highly anticipated Edo State gubernatorial election held on September 21, 2024, Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party candidate, faced a major setback at his polling unit.
Despite expressing satisfaction with the voting process and describing it as "seamless," Akpata was defeated by Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at polling unit PU11, Ward 06, Oredo Local Government Area.
The results from Akpata's polling unit were as follows:
- PDP: 41 votes
- Labour Party (LP): 32 votes
- All Progressives Congress (APC): 19 votes
This defeat is particularly notable given that Akpata, alongside Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC and Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, were considered the leading contenders for the governorship seat. The election saw a total of 18 candidates vying for the position, with approximately 2.6 million registered voters across the state.
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, representing the PDP, secured a victory at his own polling unit, where the PDP garnered 127 votes against the APC's 35 votes. This result further underlined the competitive nature of the election and the varied support for different candidates across the state.
As the election day progressed, reports indicated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended voting times at several polling units where voting had started late. Additionally, there were instances of logistical challenges, such as some persons with disabilities encountering difficulties in locating their polling units in Oredo.
Despite these challenges, the overall atmosphere of the election was described as peaceful, with a massive turnout of voters. Observers noted the early movement of electoral materials and the presence of security forces to ensure a smooth voting process.
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