Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Olumide Akpata, cast his vote on Saturday morning at Oredo Ward 6, Polling Unit 11, in the ongoing gubernatorial election. Akpata expressed satisfaction with the voting process and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a fair and transparent election across the state.
Speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote at approximately 10:30 a.m., Akpata noted the smoothness of the process at his polling unit. “I voted according to the voting process, and everything went well,” he said. While he appreciated his voting experience, Akpata remained cautious about the overall situation in Edo State. “I want to hope that this is the experience of every Edo voter. I cannot make assumptions standing here,” he added.
Akpata emphasized the importance of fairness throughout the election, calling on INEC to uphold the rights of all candidates involved. “Nobody should be given any undue advantage,” he stated. “All party agents should be allowed into the collation centres so that we can all witness the process.”
Highlighting the unique nature of the Edo election, which is an off-cycle poll, Akpata urged INEC to use this opportunity to demonstrate its capability in managing elections without hitches. “Edo election is an off-cycle election, so INEC should have the luxury of deploying its resources to show the world that they can do it well,” he remarked.
As election day progresses, the LP candidate intends to monitor the situation across the state’s 192 wards, awaiting feedback on the performance of the electoral body and the experience of other voters.
