It is finally D-Day in Edo State as the over 2.2 million eligible voters decide who will become the next governor of the state out of the over 18 candidates and political parties in the race.

However, the contest of who occupies the Edo Government House has shaped up to a three-man race, involving Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party.

This comes as President Bola Tinubu urged all stakeholders in the election to conduct themselves peacefully and sportingly.

Checks by LEADERSHIP Weekend revealed that the security personnel deployed for the election had started taking strategic positions within Benin towns and other cities.

Police and Army patrols were seen in the major cities. At the same time, Navy patrols were also made along the riverine areas of the state, in what security personnel who pleaded not to be quoted described as a show of force and readiness to ensure peaceful polls.

Civil servants and other workers took the opportunity of the work-free day declared by the state government for the election to stock up on food and other household items.

Others travelled to their wards and local governments where they registered to vote, ahead of the stoppage of movement in and out of the state by midnight yesterday.