“In those days, you see people have that moral, they are coming out to vote even without campaigning, you see people campaigning, canvassing for their parties but for now, they are just waiting for the party themselves to start the campaign.

“Regardless, we still need a man of integrity, someone who says something and will do it. Secondly, a man who has a conscience, if you don’t have a conscience when people are suffering, you will not care about them. But if you have a conscience and you see people suffering, your conscience will judge you.

“Everybody has their own opinion for me I believe that INEC will try to conduct this election properly. As the day comes, they begin to build on their election thing. By the grace of God, I believe. Everybody has their own opinion another person can come and bring his own opinion but for me, I believe it will go a long way credibly.”

Favour Joshua, A Business Woman
“In my own opinion, people are getting prepared for the election and I strongly believe that the election will hold. To my expectations and thinking, I just wish they would give us a better result, and a better leader who would change things for the better.

I don’t know if INEC will conduct a credible election or not because we trusted them before and they landed us into the one we are now so like this, I don’t know.”

Noah Yunusa, Commercial Driver
“Well, I believe that the election is very important to us in the state, even though many people do not trust the government and election again. The one we had in 2023, everything is not good, yet they are asking us to vote again. But since it is our right, we will go there and do what we can do, we still believe that when we have the right person on the seat things can change.

“As for INEC, I believe they will do the right thing, this is a state election, not a general election yes, they can do it. We have no doubts at all, no shaking we can have a free and fair election. We can do it in Edo state.

Mike Awokansi, A trader
As you are seeing me, right, I need money to feed first, money to eat for my stomach before any other thing. If you want to go and vote and you don’t eat, which strength will you use to stand?

You can only trust who will give you money to feed. If you cannot give me money for feeding I can’t trust you now. I have already lost trust and faith in this country and anything about elections some people want everything to scatter while some people want it to remain as it is.

Abu Marinh, a Farmer
An election can come, and anybody who likes to vote can come out to vote, but I do not think I will vote yet, but I may change my mind till then, if I like to.
I have everything and I can vote for anybody I like, and I can decide not to vote it’s not a problem.

Most of them we’ve been voting for in this country, we did not benefit from them are not doing well, they don’t even know us. So, I do not have trust in the government, but the election may make things better if a better person enters the position of power.

Mr Victor Maxwell, a Teacher
We have prepared, we have collected our PVC, and we are waiting for the day of the election. We are in Nigeria. Godfatherism is a big challenge and that can affect the credibility of this election. If we are not careful, the election might not be peaceful because it might end up being a fight between Obaseki and Oshiomole, and the people will suffer for it.

I think the security people must take note of this. In APC, we have Oshiomhole, who is known as the Godfather; we have the present President too, so all these are interested in APC and their candidate to capture Edo State. The same thing is true for Obaseki, who wants Ighodalo to win to continue his plans.

Another thing is the problem of tribalism, it looks like the majority want a candidate from the Eshan part of the state, and although the candidates of both PDP and APC are from there there is still some uncertainty in the state.

Mr Akeem Adewale, Small Scale Business Owner
We, the businessmen, are speaking from our perspectives because, when comparing Edo State to other states with high rates of things, it is as if the union ( different associations) has taken over from him; he is simply dancing to their tune. As a businessman, if you’re not part of the union, forget it.

Unionism has killed Edo State; if my grandmother in the village comes to the market to sell, they will seize it because she is not part of the union and the government is just there watching. I know so many good people are ready to change the state. But we are just praying that the person is among the aspirant.

If anyone can tell me that he is going to ban unions, like what the late governor of Ondo State did, when he came, the first thing he did was ban trade unions that you can buy and sell as you wish. If any aspirant can make that his manifesto, I promise he is going to win my local government because that’s the problem we are facing in this town. If not, I am not sure I am going to vote in the election.

Odi Orofia, a Truck Driver
Nigeria is too corrupt with the election process, they favour some people, they don’t favour some people, so it is the poor people voting for them that suffer; they don’t help our situation at all.

My voting is not sure; I am not sure I am going to vote, because I do not believe in the process. I can still change my mind. If God touches my mind, I can change the decision. It’s not like money can change my mind, it’s only God that can change my mind.

Friday Darlington, a Surveyor
When you vote, they won’t give the appropriate result, when someone says it’s my turn, the person will be there. It’s not that our votes count, but they are there, counting.

Politicians are already coming, but I do tell them on many occasions that I will not vote because I reject their money and everything about them. They do like to rob us as electorates with #5000 and #2000 what can that do for me? How much is nylon right now?

I don’t believe in it; if I collect money from them, I have eaten my destiny. Because for them to work for us as electorates, remember that we are the people who elect them, but getting there, they will fight only for their pocket, they don’t bloody care about the masses.

Imagine that since I was born to date, they will tell you they will give you good roads, pipe-borne water, and good schools, but I never see any of them that fulfil their promise. Just empty promises.

Patricia Friday, a Trader
I believe, that if they do the election everything will change, and everything will be better. This suffering we are suffering may be reduced if they do the election. God will do it. We need a better person who will change our lives in this state, a governor who will make the prices of things come down. I think INEC can help us conduct the election with the help of God. I believe INEC will not disappoint us.

Justice Odighie, a Civil Servant
I do not want this election to be business as usual, although it looks like it. Elections are real and chosen by the people who will govern them, but for the reason that those voted for will eventually not be given the mandate. The people are scared to come out; they say their votes do not count at all, and they do that all the time. After all, people can have their say while others have their way.

As a recognised body that conducts elections, I still trust INEC but they should put their house and every other ration together to achieve a very good election in Edo State.

As a PWD (person with a disability) in Edo State, the kind of governor we want is the type of governor who has the heartbeat of the people living with disabilities and can come out to say yes, it is not the way it usually is, We feel your pain, and we know what you’re going through before the lens of the camera. But after that, they are all political tactics. We want the type of governor who will carry us along—a governor who wants us to be part of the progress, moving forward from where we are now to the next level.

Aboki Loveth, a Student
This coming election, I think it should be a free and fair election, and the INEC should play their part effectively to make it inclusive, especially we the PWD, so that we can come out on that day and cast our vote. The environment should not be a barrier. Some of us, as persons with disabilities, are willing to vote for a government that will be inclusive, and that the policy will bring benefits to persons living with disabilities in Edo State.

To me, the vote counts. If you say I will not vote, and this says I will not vote, then how are we going to make the election free and fair? How are we going to boast that we need a government that will work for the benefit of the masses? If we, as citizens, say we need a government that will make our state better for our benefit, we should come out and cast our vote and play our civic right.

Based on the system we have now, and what happened in the 2023 general election, everyone now has doubts about INEC, but I don’t think we should continue dwelling in the past. If we continue dwelling on the past, there’s no way we can get it right. So it is time for every citizen who is eligible to vote to come out and exercise their civic rights. It is when you play your civic right and your expectations are not met that we now have the right and chance to say this is what we want. This is what I am expecting which is not supposed to be so.

Everybody should play their part, we should not leave everything on the side of the government. As citizens, we must exercise our civic rights.

I want an inclusive government, a government that will be able to meet the demands of the masses, not a government that promises and fails.
We need a government that is proactive, creative, inclusive, and takes initiative. That is the type of government we need in Edo State.

Conclusion
Despite the undertone of political apathy among Edo residents as a result of previous electoral conduct in the country, as the state prepares for the governorship election, the people continue to desire good governance.

Citizens did not hold back in expressing their expectations for the next governor, calling for a leader who would address their needs while also propelling the state forward. The outcome of this election will shape the future of Edo, and the citizens are watching closely, hopeful for positive change.