Edo Polls: Benin residents embark on last-minute shopping

Residents of Benin have embarked on last-minute shopping ahead of today’s governorship election in the state.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited Ediekel Market, New Benin Market and Ikpoba-Hill Market, said there was large turnout of customers who thronged the markets to make purchases because of the restriction of  movement on the election day.

One of the residents, Mrs Omosefe Odigie, said: “I am shopping because of the election period, as markets would not open today.”

Mr Charles Ogbeide, said he was shopping “because I do not want to take chances as the markets would remain shut during the election period.”

On his part, Mr Sylvester Odia, said he came out to recharge his cell phone to enable him to make calls to be informed about happenings during the polls.

NAN reports that the state government had declared Tuesday and Wednesday public holidays to enable civil servants to travel to where they registered and participate in the election.

The state Secretariat located on Sapele Road and the Federal Secretariat on Ikpoba-Hill were all empty as the civil servants observed the holiday.

However, banks, filing stations, motor parks and other corporate offices opened for business as their workers were exempted from the public holiday.

Private concerns, including the banks, which were exempted from the holidays, carried on with their normal businesses.