The by-elections conducted across 59 wards in 15 local government areas of Edo State on Saturday were marred by poor voter turnout, legal controversy, and reports of violence against journalists.

Naijaonpoint understands that only the All Progressives Congress (APC) took part in the exercise, as other political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), boycotted the polls.

Despite the boycott, the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) went ahead with the election.

The decision to proceed with the by-elections came in defiance of a restraining order issued by an Edo High Court presided over by Justice Mary Itsueli.

The order followed a motion filed by the PDP, which argued that the tenure of elected councillors remained valid until September 2026. The party insisted that any attempt to declare the seats vacant or conduct elections before then would be illegal.

Justice Itsueli ruled that the PDP had presented sufficient grounds for judicial intervention and ordered that all steps toward conducting the proposed by-elections be suspended.

However, the EDSIEC ignored the ruling and conducted the polls.

Reports from across the state indicated that very few voters were at the polling units. In several locations, delays in the arrival of electoral materials further slowed down proceedings.

At Asoro Primary School, Oredo Ward 9, turnout was described as minimal, with only a handful of voters present when journalists visited.

According to The Nation, the election also witnessed violence as journalists covering the polls were assaulted.

The media reported that eyewitnesses said some thugs accused the reporters of working for the PDP, seized their phones, and deleted all pictures and videos related to the election coverage.

The incident has raised concerns about press freedom and the transparency of the process.