Voter interest in the Edo State local government elections was notably absent this past Saturday, with many young people in Benin City choosing to play football rather than cast their ballots. The exercise, organized by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, aimed to fill 18 chairmanship and 192 councillorship positions, yet many polling stations reported minimal activity.
In districts such as Oredo and Egor, groups of youths gathered to play football on school grounds even as polling stations operated nearby. Participants like Samson Osagie expressed a lack of enthusiasm for the process, citing a perceived lack of genuine competition due to the dominance of the All Progressives Congress. Other residents, including Thompson Momoh, noted issues like missing voter cards, while Paul Omoregie mentioned he was simply sticking to his typical weekend athletic routine.
Traders at several major locations, including Oba Market and Mission Road, also opted to bypass the electoral exercise. These vendors continued with their daily commerce despite the ongoing voting process, further highlighting the widespread lack of engagement observed throughout the state.
