By- Elections: Edo Central Voters Lament Alleged Abandonment By Candidates

By Idahosa Musa

Some electorates in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area, Edo State on Friday evening lamented what they described as inhuman treatment and abandonment melted out to  them by a certain political party contesting in the Edo Central Senatorial by- election.

The people who lamented bitterly over their ordeal at a certain beer parlour in the town, said that they were promised good welfare packages, hence, they left what they were doing to migrate to Ewatto for election exercise.

When Alltimeposti.Com enquired about what their welfare packages could be, the people revealed that the Senatorial candidate promised them cash benefits including feeding and other logistics.

“We were promised huge amount of money if we come to vote in our place (Uromi) but on getting here, it is a different ball game. For them to give us food alone is a tug of war. We are highly disappointed”, one of the people who chose to be anonymous said.

On whether they will exercise their franchise on Saturday 16, 2025 following their alleged inhumane treatment, the people answered in the affirmative, claiming that it is the only way they can get money to go back to their various destinations.

A Check at Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area, Irrua in Esan Central Local Government Area, and Ubiaja Ubiaja Local Government Area, all in Edo Central, it was same story altogether.

Accommodation was another issue the people complained about, saying that in some cases, more than five persons were put in a makeshift room to save cost.

“In truth, we are Esan people and here is our place (Uromi). But we have left home for a very long time. They promised to give us accommodation, money and food if we come down here to vote.

“But what we are seeing now is the opposite as nobody is ready to address our plights, telling us to wait after the election”, said one Oboh.

However, there was a calm atmosphere in Ewatto ahead of me commencement of the poll as the people are eager to cast their votes for their preferred candidate

The development is not without water-tight security as men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Army took strategic positions towards ensuring a hitch-free exercise.