The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has uploaded over 95% of polling unit result sheets from Saturday’s Edo State Governorship Election on the commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Out of 4,519 polling units, the electoral umpire had uploaded result sheets from 4,316 units on the portal as of 10:00 pm on Saturday.
On Saturday, September 21, 2024, the people of Edo State in South-South Nigeria voted to elect a new governor to succeed incumbent Godwin Obaseki, whose constitutional eight-year term ends on November 12, 2024. Edo is one of eight states where governorship elections are held off-season due to litigation and court judgments.
According to INEC, Edo State has 2,629,025 registered voters and 4,519 polling units. Of these, 2,249,780 (85.57%) possess Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and will decide Obaseki’s successor.
Although 17 candidates are vying for the office, analysts describe the election as a three-horse race between Asue Ighodalo (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP), Monday Okpebholo (All Progressives Congress, APC), and Olumide Akpata (Labour Party, LP).
Akpata, a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, is strongly supported by 2023 LP presidential candidate Peter Obi, who garnered over six million votes in 2023.
Ighodalo, former Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Chairman, secured incumbent governor Obaseki’s endorsement, bypassing his deputy Philip Shaibu. Shaibu and former governor Adams Oshiomhole support Okpebholo.
Party strongholds are divided: APC holds current senators in Edo North (Oshiomhole) and Edo Central (Okpebholo), while Labour Party’s senator Neda Imasuen represents Edo South, Akpata’s hometown.
