Some of the voters who spoke with NAN commended the INEC officials for the timely arrival of election materials and the early commencement of accreditation and voting.

Residents of Benin, the Edo capital on Saturday trooped out in their numbers to cast their votes defying the heavy rain in the ongoing governorship election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election is to elect a successor to outgoing Gov. Godwin Obaseki, whose tenure expires in November.

At the Eresonye Primary School Ward 12, in Ovia North Local Government Area, near Benin, voters filed out in their numbers not minding the rains in order to exercise their electoral franchise.

NAN reports that although the process has been peaceful, there was an unusual absence of security personnel in the area.

Some of the voters who spoke with NAN commended the INEC officials for the timely arrival of election materials and the early commencement of accreditation and voting.

At the Oredo Ward 11 polling booth, police personnel at the gate refused journalists entrance to monitor the process even after they had presented INEC accreditation tags and official identity cards showing they had been cleared to cover the election.

Similarly at the Itohan Grammar School ward on Sakponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, voters were seen in their numbers exercising their electoral responsibilities even with the rains falling heavily.