The All Progressives Congress in Edo State on Monday commenced the conduct of its direct primary to elect the governorship candidate of the party as early as 8 am in the 192 wards across the state.
The exercise recorded a peaceful turnout as the collation of votes commenced in some local government headquarters.
There had been reports that the party may clash with Governor Godwin Obaseki’s administration over the conduct of APC direct primary.
The state government had on Friday insisted that in compliance with its COVID-19 law, the APC must apply for a waiver before organising a political gathering in any part of the state, but the party did not apply.
However, accreditation of card-carrying party members commenced at 8am in batches of 15 and less from the 192 wards of the 18 local government areas of the state.
Some of the wards/LGA monitored were Ohuan, Uhi, and Isi North/Uhunmwonde, Ward 3/Egor and Ward 9/Oredo, Ward 7/Etsako East, among others.
All party members who came wearing face masks were seen maintaining arm’s length physical distance as they waited patiently to cast their votes.
Thereafter, the members were asked to vote for the aspirants of their choice by raising their cards at the mention of the names of the three aspirants namely Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Dr Pius Odubu and Mr Osaro Obazee’s in that order.
The total votes for each of the aspirants in the unit were then recorded on the prescribed forms for onward transmission to the ward collation centres where they are also recorded.
The results would be taken to the local government collation centres where the sorting of votes for each of the three aspirants have started with the result sheets from the wards, as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, officials of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police, and other security agencies were seen in some of the voting centres, observing proceedings from a distance.
There was also a heavy military presence in some strategic positions of the state.
