Voting begins as Edo election records large turnout of voters

 Long queue of voters waiting to be accredited at Auchi

INEC officials setting up a polling unit at Auchi, Edo State

 INEC official conducting voters accreditation

 Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State casts his vote at Ward 10, Unit 1, Iyamho Primary School, Iyamho, in the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State collects his ballot paper at Ward 10, Unit 1, Iyamho Primary School, Iyamho, in the July 14, 2012 governorship election in the state.

INEC ad-hoc officials counting vote cast in a polling unit

Voting in the Edo State governorship election has begun as hundreds of residents in the state on Saturday came out to elect the next governor of the state.

Channels Television’s correspondents monitoring the elections in the three Senatorial districts of the state reported though voting materials arrived early at many polling centres, in some areas like Auchi and its environs there were slight delay in the arrival of materials.
This delays and anomalies however, did not dampen the enthusiasm in the electorates as most of them told Channels Television’s reporters that there will wait in their respective polling units till they are accredited and allowed to cast their votes.
The late arrival of voting material in some polling units affected the timing for accreditation and voting as voting did not commence in some units until 1pm instead of the scheduled 12 noon.
Seven candidates are contending to become the governor of Edo state.

Those eyeing the coveted seat are:
1. Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
2. Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (retd.) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
3. Solomon Edebiri of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)
4. Izevbuwa Roland of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
5. Andrew Igwemoh of the Labour Party (LP)
6. Mr. Paul Orumwense of the National Conscience Party (NCP)
7. Frank Onaiv of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP)