Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has described voter turnout in Saturday’s local government elections as impressive, saying early reports from across the state indicated that the exercise was peaceful and orderly.

The governor spoke after casting his vote at Ward 2, Udomi Primary School in Esan Central Local Government Area, where voting commenced on schedule with electoral officials and security personnel present.

Okpebholo arrived at his polling unit at about 10:24 a.m. and cast his ballot at approximately 10:40 a.m. after joining other voters in the queue.

He commended residents for their peaceful conduct, noting that feedback from different parts of the state suggested the election was progressing smoothly.

According to the governor, the large turnout reflected citizens’ commitment to grassroots democracy and their desire to participate in the election of local government leaders.

He urged voters to remain law-abiding throughout the process and advised them to await the official declaration of results by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC).

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Initiative for Awareness of Civic Education for Citizens, Fidelis Nwoke, said observer groups deployed across the state had not recorded any major security incident or disruption during the election.

Nwoke said reports from monitored locations, including Udomi and Igueben, showed that the exercise had remained peaceful, with electoral officials arriving on time and voters casting their ballots without significant challenges.

He expressed confidence that the election would conclude peacefully, with winners emerging through the electoral process.

Security personnel were deployed across polling units to maintain order, while voters queued patiently to cast their ballots.

Some residents attributed the peaceful atmosphere to improved public confidence in the electoral process, while others said ongoing infrastructure and development projects under the Okpebholo administration encouraged greater participation.

The election was conducted across the 18 local government areas of Edo State to elect chairmen and councillors, with EDSIEC overseeing the exercise alongside accredited observers, journalists and security agencies monitoring the process.