By Muhammad Mamman
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo cast his vote Saturday morning in the Edo Central Senatorial by-election, but not without raising concerns over delays caused by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS). Voting at 9:52 a.m. at Udomi Primary School in Esan Central, Okpebholo criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the sluggish performance of the accreditation machines, urging officials to address the issue.
“It’s frustrating. The BIVAS is just too slow, taking too long to accredit voters,” Okpebholo told reporters after voting. “INEC needs to fix this. But overall, the process is peaceful, and the feedback I’m getting is positive.”
The by-election, held to fill the senatorial seat vacated by Okpebholo after his gubernatorial win, saw early voter turnout across polling units in Irrua and Uromi, with accreditation starting around 8 a.m. At Eguare Primary School in Irrua, voter Frank Obehi described the process as “smooth and peaceful” after casting his ballot at 8:37 a.m.
Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, also voted at the same polling unit as the governor. She praised INEC for maintaining order and encouraged voters to participate actively and protect their votes. “This is my village, Udomi. The process is going well, and people are coming out to vote,” she said. “I urge everyone to vote and stay to defend their votes in this democratic exercise.”
