The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the results of nine of the 18 local governments in the Edo State governorship election.

The results show that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has taken an early lead in the election.

Obaseki is said to have won in 5 local governments while his main challenger, Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in 4 local governments.

The APC so far has 142,424 votes while the PDP has 136,808 votes and a difference of  5,616 votes.

Results for nine more local governments have yet to be collated.

As the collation went on, PDP supporters protested outside the INEC office, demanding that INEC should stop collation of results from the LGAs in the North Central Senatorial district.

The protesters alleged that the results currently being released by INEC “were manipulated over the night”, saying that they want their mandate.

See collated results below:

#1. Owan West

APC: 12,862
PDP: 10,132

#2. Egor

APC: 26,177
PDP: 19,514

#3. Esan North East

APC: 9,130
PDP: 16,220

#4. Igueben

APC: 7,802
PDP: 7,560

#5. Uhunmwode

APC: 10,911
PDP: 8,667

#6 Esan South East

APC: 9,554
PDP: 11,466

#7. Oredo

APC: 37,612
PDP: 30,492

#8. Orhionmwon

APC: 15,262
PDP: 16,446

#9. Esan West

APC 13,114
PDP 16,311