As political parties ended public campaigns on Thursday ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State, normal socioeconomic activities have continued in the state.
Political parties and candidates had since April 24, 2024, in line with the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, guideline for the election, commenced public campaigns, which ended on September 19, 2024.
DAILY POST reports that throughout the public campaigns, noises of different political parties’ slogans laced with musical activities pervaded the air. This is besides the various banners and uniforms paraded by different political associations and groups across the 192 wards in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, has scheduled the governorship election in the state for September 21, 2024.
The major political parties that have dominated the political space with campaign activities are the All Progressives Congress, APC, Labour Party, LP and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Our reporter who monitored the situation in Benin metropolis noted that residents are going about their normal businesses, with little or no sign that the election would be held tomorrow.
The atmosphere in the state is devoid of the usual political tension that always characterized elections in the state.
Commercial buses, popularly referred to as ‘Tuketuke’ are fully in operational while markets are also open for businesses.
Security operatives such as armed policemen are seen driving around the city centre to curtail any possible threats by political hoodlums.
Workers in private firms and Federal Government establishments are at work with the exception of financial institutions that closed shop due to a work-free day declared by the state government for its workers.
A resident who simply identified himself as Mr Jacob, attributed the tension-free atmosphere to the presence of the security operatives.
“For me, it seemed we are not preparing for election tomorrow. The atmosphere is devoid of political tension as we used to experience in the state.
“You can see normal business activities is going on in the state. My brother, we are prepared for the election but I am very happy that there is no political tension.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of various political parties are putting finishing touches to their political strategies ahead of the election.
The major political parties are alleged to be engaged in vote-buying by distributing gifts such as bags of rice, clothes, money, noodles and spaghetti, among others.
Recall that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun had at an INEC organised stakeholders meeting disclosed that 35,000 policemen in addition to over 8,000 personnel from other sister agencies such as the military and paramilitary, would be deployed for the election.