The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will resume the collation of results for the Edo State governorship election on Sunday at 10 am.
This comes after polling concluded on Saturday, September 21, and collation began at 9 pm on the same day.
Anugbum Onuoha, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Edo, issued a statement early Sunday morning, assuring the public that the collation process is being conducted transparently and in line with INEC guidelines.
He expressed gratitude for the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders during this critical time.
“We appreciate the patience and cooperation of all parties as we strive to ensure a credible and accurate outcome of this important election,” the statement said.
However, tensions remain high across the state, particularly following the display of some polling unit results on INEC’s election viewing portal (IReV).
As of 6:32 am on Sunday, 4,443 polling unit results out of 4,519 had been uploaded to the IReV portal.
The situation at the INEC headquarters in Benin, which serves as the collation centre for the election, grew more intense earlier on Sunday.
Governor Godwin Obaseki was asked to leave the premises in the early hours and was escorted out by mobile police officers.
In addition, security personnel instructed journalists and election observers to vacate the collation centre, adding to the tension surrounding the election process.