In a surprising turn of events, Olumide Akpata, the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate, has suffered a defeat in his own polling unit in the ongoing Edo State election.

Akpata, who described his voting experience as “seamless,” saw the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, emerge victorious with 41 votes.

Akpata secured 31 votes, closely followed by Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 19 votes. This outcome has sparked interest, as all three candidates are considered front-runners for the top spot in Edo State.

The election is expected to be highly contested, with 17 candidates vying for the governorship position.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that 2,249,780 registered voters, representing 85.57% of the 2,629,025 total registered voters, have collected their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) across 4,519 polling units in the state’s 18 local government areas.

As the election unfolds, key factors that may influence the outcome include the power of incumbency, minimum wage implementation, and economic conditions.

The PDP, being the party of the current governor, Godwin Obaseki, may have an advantage due to its control of state structures and resources.

Stay tuned for further updates on the Edo State gubernatorial election.