- Governor Godwin Obaseki clarified his early morning visit to INEC, stating he sought to address halted collation processes amid concerns
- Obaseki faced protests from APC members during his visit, as he aimed to ensure a smooth election process in Edo State
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has clarified his visit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin City during the early hours of Sunday.
Obaseki was escorted out of the INEC office by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Edo election, Frank Mba, around 3 a.m. He had arrived with his security aides and later held a closed-door meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).
The visit sparked a protest by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including National Secretary Ajibola Basiru and Dennis Idahosa, the running mate of APC governorship candidate Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Speaking at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Situation Room in Benin, Obaseki explained that he went to the INEC office after receiving reports that collation had been halted. He said, “At about 1 a.m., I got a report that collation should have been moved to the INEC head office. Our agents also reported that PDP representatives were not allowed into the collation centre.”
Unable to reach the REC by phone, Obaseki visited the INEC office personally to understand the situation and ensure the collation process continued smoothly.