The Edo State football association electoral committee on Tuesday morning announced a slight change in the election schedule and venue for the 2023 Local Council elections.
Professor Darlington Obaseki, the Chairman of the electoral committee, in a telephone interview with Veteran journalist, Saliu Ibrahim (who doubles as a member of the electoral committee) during the KU 92.7FM sports programme, ‘Sports Fiesta’, stated that the committee have listened to the calls from football stakeholders in the state who complained about the high cost of transport, and logistics for candidates and delegates all over the state to gather in Benin City for the local council elections.
The Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital announced that the local council elections will now hold at the three Senatorial district headquarters in the state. He said that for Edo North, the local council elections will hold at Auchi. Ekpoma will host the local council elections for the Edo Central senatorial District while the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium, Benin City will host the Edo South zone.
The Professor of Histopathology stated that due to the new schedule, a little time will be needed by both the electoral committee and the stakeholders to make proper plans and arrangements for the elections. The new date for the local council election is the 23rd of August, 2023. The elections in all the zones are expected to take place on the same day with with two members of the electoral committee leading the electoral team at each venue.
On a final note, Prof Obaseki stated that the focus of the committee is to conduct an election that will be rancour-free, one that even those that don’t emerge winners will have been happy with the process, despite not winning.
He explained that the main instrument guiding the electoral committee members in terms of decision-making is the Nigerian football federation status of 2010, the Nigerian football federation electoral code, the Edo State FA status and verbal experience from the current FA Chairman, Dr Aghedo.