INDEPENDENT NG
Heavy security presence in all nooks and crannies of Edo state contributed to the peaceful conduct of the state house of assembly election on Saturday
This is coming as the state governor, Godwin Obaseki who voted at about 10.15 am in unit 19 of Oredo Ward 4, Emokpae Primary School, Benin city where low turnout was experienced bemoaned the security presence.
It was observed that combined teams of security agents mounted roadblocks in strategic areas in the state to enforce the restriction of movement order by the Inspector-General of Police.
This was attributed to the low turnout in that same Oredo Ward 4, Units 19, 20, 22, 25, 26 where the governor voted.
As at 7 a.m. on Saturday, the security teams, which comprised police officers, military personnel and other paramilitary officers were already at checkpoints conducting stop-and-search.
Our Correspondent, who monitored the situation at Ugbowo, Iyaro, Akpakpava, First East Circular road, Airport road Mission, Sapele road Upper Sakponba road among others, noted that vehicular movement was being restricted, except for those who were on election duty.
This is a sharp contrast to the situation during the last elections, when residents flagrantly defied the restriction on movement, with inadequate security officers to enforce the directive.
Answering questions from newsmen soon after casting his vote, governor Obaseki decried low turnout of voters and appealed to security agencies to relax measures to allow voting.
According to the governor, I appeal to security agencies monitoring the election to relax the security barricade across Benin City, to allow voters move to their polling units to exercise their franchise and I may want to attribute this to the low turnout of voters and this is the worst in this centre”.
