THE Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of all 18 chairmanship positions and 192 councillorship seats contested in Saturday’s local government elections across the state.
Announcing the results at the commission’s headquarters in Benin City on Sunday, EDSIEC Chairman Jonathan Aifuobhokhan said the elections were conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Edo State Local Government Electoral Law and other relevant electoral guidelines.
According to him, the electoral process, which included accreditation, voting, sorting, counting, collation, and declaration of results, was completed across the 18 local government areas.
Aifuobhokhan said the commission was satisfied with the conduct of its returning officers, whom he described as professional and impartial in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.
He explained that after the completion of collation at the ward and local government levels, the duly appointed returning officers declared the winners in their respective areas.
The EDSIEC chairman said the APC secured victory in all chairmanship and councillorship contests, giving the party a clean sweep of the election.
He acknowledged that there were minor operational challenges in a few locations during the exercise but maintained that the issues were not significant enough to affect either the conduct or the outcome of the election. He described the poll as generally peaceful across the state.
Aifuobhokhan commended eligible voters for participating in the election and also appreciated Governor Monday Okpebholo for allowing the commission to operate without interference. He announced that certificates of return would be presented to the successful candidates on Monday.
The EDSIEC chairman advised individuals or political parties dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to seek redress through the appropriate legal channels.
He also reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to strengthening future electoral processes through periodic reviews and continued engagement with stakeholders.
