By joshua 
FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Some residents including eligible voters in Edo State on Saturday commended INEC for the hitch free conduct of the 2023 general elections in the state which recorded large turnout of voters.
The eligible voters across the wards and units visited by The Nigerian Post expressed satisfaction with INEC particularly particularly with the use of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS).
Speaking with our correspondent shortly after casting his vote, the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and former governorship candidate in Edo, Maj-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) , hailed INEC for the improvement in the conduct of the general elections in Edo State saying the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) made the exercise very seamless.
Airhiavbere who voted at about 10am in Garrick Memorial College in Oredo LGA said though the BVAS was slow in processing voters information, added that the election was “very peaceful and successful. ”
He said,” the BVAS was slow but very successful. The entire voting process has been seamless so far.”
Others including the two frontline candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Valentine Asuen, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Matthew Iduoriyekemwen
vying for the Edo South Senatorial seat, applauded INEC for the peaceful elections saying the turnout of voters was impressive.
Iduoriyekemwen said INEC lived up to expectations but noted that the adhoc staff should be well prepared for future elections particularly on the use of BVAS technology.
“The adhoc staff should be well trained on Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS), which is apparently new to them. They need to know how to use the BVAS because they were very slow and almost didn’t start the election on time in my polling unit as I voted by almost 11am due to the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) that they had to somehow find how to operate.”, Iduoriyekemwen said.
Meanwhile , Some eligible voters in Benin city, the Edo State capital had on Saturday expressed worry over their inability to locate their polling units after been relocated from their previous voting centres by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Others expressed displeasure with INEC over certain challenges particularly late arrival of personnels and voting materials in their centres within the Benin metropolis.
A public affair analyst , Mr.Agharese Idubor, who spoke with The Nigerian Post said the challenge in identifying and locating poling units for voting by eligible voters who were relocated from their previous voting centres without any prior notice
was worrisome.
He added that some person who had their polling moved to other centres would be disenfranchised by the development.
Idubor, however commended INEC for the peaceful and hitch free exercise, noting that the BVAS was successful and efficient in its operations.
Idubor , who voted at exactly 9.30am in Olua Primary School ward 7 in Egor LGA described the 2023 general election as the most peaceful election, devoid of violence, financial inducement and vote buying.
The voting centres visited recorded large turnout of voters with the election going on peaceful with security agencies including the FRSC, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on the ground.