In the early hours of Sunday, a tense scene unfolded at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Benin as Governor Godwin Obaseki was escorted out by police, led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Frank Mba. The incident occurred around 4:10 a.m., following Obaseki’s unannounced arrival at 2 a.m., reportedly to protest alleged irregularities in the collation of results, including those from his Oredo local government area.
INEC officials had informed the governor that he was not permitted to remain at the premises, a decision previously enforced on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo. Despite this, Obaseki insisted on staying, leading to the intervention of security forces.

By 3 a.m., a combined force of police officers, led by DIG Mba, along with soldiers, entered the premises. At 4:10 a.m., Obaseki was forcibly escorted out, with security personnel shouting, “Leave, leave,” as they led him away.

Shortly before Obaseki’s removal, Surajudeen Basiru, National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), addressed journalists, criticizing the governor’s presence. “He is not a candidate. He has no reason to be here,” Basiru said, accusing Obaseki of abusing his office by intervening in the electoral process.

Earlier, members of the APC, led by the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Honourable Dennis Idahosa, staged a protest outside the INEC office around 3:30 a.m., demanding Obaseki’s removal. Shouting from outside the gate, Idahosa insisted that the governor had no business being at the collation center. “Obaseki must come out. He is not supposed to be here. He is not an INEC staff,” Idahosa declared, while calling on the police to maintain impartiality.

The protesters attempted to force their way into the INEC premises several times, banging on the gates, but were consistently blocked by security personnel.

The dramatic confrontation highlights growing tensions around the collation of results in the Edo State gubernatorial election.