Eligible voters in Edo State will go to the polls on Saturday, September 21, to elect a new governor who will take over from the incumbent, Godwin Obaseki, who will complete his statutory eight-year tenure by November 12, 2024.
In preparation for the election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deployed over 5,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) across 4,519 polling units, 211 collation centres and 18 Local Government Areas(LGA)s ahead of the governorship polls on Saturday.
The Commission issued a press release detailing the number of registered voters, those who have collected their Permanent Voters Cards(PVC), and new voters.
It read: PRESS RELEASE
DATA ON COLLECTION OF PERMANENT VOTERS’ CARDS BY POLLING UNITS IN EDO STATE
“Nigerians may recall that the Commission recently announced that the total number of registered voters in Edo State is 2,629,025. The Commission went further to give the breakdown by gender, age, occupation and disability.
“Out of this figure, 2,249,780 (85.57%) have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) while 379,245 (14.43%) of the PVCs are uncollected as at the end of the extended period for PVC collection on Sunday, 16th September 2024.
“Consequently, the Commission is making available data on PVC collection on Polling Unit basis in Edo State ahead of the Governorship election holding this weekend.
“There are 4,519 Polling Units in the State. Voting will take place in each unit. The detailed breakdown of the number of PVCs collected, as well as the number uncollected in each unit, has been uploaded to our website for guidance of political parties, candidates and public information.
“Any citizen interested in the 128-page document can visit our website: https://inecnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PU-LEVEL-FOR-PVC-COLLECTED-FOR-2024-EDO-GOVERVORSHIP-ELECTION.pdf
Sam Olumekun mni
National Commissioner & Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee
Tuesday 17th September 2024
The Quest for Power in Edo State
The rivalry between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party in Edo State, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which governs at the national level, has become a contest of status and influence between two former allies: Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
Saturday’s election will reignite the competition that began in 2019 when 14 state lawmakers loyal to Oshiomhole were blocked from being sworn in to the House of Assembly, a move orchestrated by Obaseki.
Oshiomhole is eager to reassert his influence in the state, while Obaseki is resolute in holding his ground. With both men supporting opposing candidates, the stakes have never been higher.
Meet the Candidates
- Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata (Nigerian Lawyer and Politician)
He was born on October 7, 1972 in Berlin, Germany and began his educational journey at Nana Primary School in Warri, then moved on to Federal Government College, Warri and later King’s College in Lagos. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Benin in 1992 and was called to the bar in 1993.
Akpata relocated to Lagos in 1996 and teamed up with his cousin, Oghogho Akpata, to set up the law firm Templars. Akpata joined in the formation of Templars at the age of 23, and has grown the firm into what it is one of the largest law firms in Nigeria with a workforce of about 100 lawyers, including two Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Akpata was the senior partner and Head of the Corporate & Commercial Practice Group of Templars participating in some of the major groundbreaking transactions that have shaped commercial law practice in Nigeria and indeed the Nigerian economy. He stepped down from the role to venture into politics in 2023.
On July 30, 2020, he was elected as the president of the Nigerian Bar Association after acquiring a total of 9,891 votes of the total 18,256 ballots cast, defeating his closest rival Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) who polled 4,328 votes, and Dele Adesina (SAN) who polled 3,982 votes. He became the first non – Senior Advocate to become the Chairman of the NBA in over three decades. He had previously served as the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law Council in August 2016.
He is married to Osayamon Michelle Ogbebor, lawyer and who is from the prominent Ogbebor family of Bini Kingdom, Edo State.
- Asuerinme Ighodalo (Nigerian lawyer, Businessman and Politician)
Asue Ighodalo was born July 19, 1959, in Annua, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria. He is a product of King’s College, Lagos and obtained a degree in Economics from the University of Ibadan in 1981, an LL.B from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1984 before being called to the bar in 1985.
Ighodalo went on to work as an Associate in the law firm of Chris Ogunbanjo & Co between 1985 and 1991, before joining forces with Femi Olubanwo to establish Banwo & Ighodalo. The firm is consistently ranked as a leading Nigerian law firm in the areas of Capital Markets, Securities, Mergers & Acquisitions. Notably, during the 2005 banking consolidation in Nigeria, Banwo & Ighodalo was involved in over 75% of the transactions, solidifying its reputation in the legal industry.
Asue Ighodalo is an accomplished author and lecturer having published several papers and has been a regular speaker on issues related to corporate governance, Nigeria’s contemporary political history, entrepreneurship, and gas monetisation.
Ighodalo was the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Sterling Bank Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc and The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). He also sat on the boards of other public and private companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and a statutory body including Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
Asue Ighodalo is married to Ifeyinwa, an entrepreneur.
- Monday ‘Akpakomiza’ Okpebholo (Nigerian Businessman and Politician)
Monday Okpebholo was born on August 29, 1970 in Udomi-Uwessan community of Irrua in Edo State.
He attended Udomi Community Primary School and Ujabhole Secondary School respectively, both in Uwesan-Irrua, Esan Central LGA before earning a degree in Business Administrationa at the University of Abuja.
Senator Monday Okpebholo has cultivated a diverse portfolio, encompassing ventures in hospitality, construction, oil and gas, and agriculture.
Senator Okpebholo’s journey into politics commenced in 2003 with his candidacy for the House of Representatives on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which he won.
On June 13th, 2023, he was inaugurated as the Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Edo Central Senatorial District, Edo State, and he chairs the Senate Committee on Public Procurement.
He was a former associate of former Edo State polticial giant, Tony Anenih and is married to Blessing Okapi Ekpe, a businesswoman.