Egbema Indigenes Cry Out Over Bad Roads and High Transportation Costs as INEC Insists on Registration at Iguobazua

By Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond

Egbema Kingdom, Edo/Delta — The people of Egbema Kingdom have raised strong concerns over what they describe as an attempt to deliberately disenfranchise them in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

According to reports, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed all eligible voters in Egbema communities to travel down to the local government headquarters at Iguobazua for their registration. This directive has sparked outrage among indigenes, who lament that they have neither functional access roads nor the financial capacity to bear the high transportation costs.

A Cry for Inclusion

Speaking on behalf of the people, Prince Agbedeyi O. D and Comrade Iyenkpotimi Didi stressed that the INEC directive is unfair and insensitive to the peculiar challenges faced by Egbema indigenes.

“We have no local government headquarters in our land. The only route to Iguobazua is in a terrible condition, and transportation costs are extremely high. Many of our people cannot afford such movement. This is nothing short of a deliberate plan to disenfranchise the good people of Egbema,” they stated.

The leaders called on INEC to urgently review its operational strategy for the exercise, insisting that registration officers should be sent to all units or, at the very least, to ward headquarters. They argued that this is the only way the people of Egbema can have fair and unhindered access to voter registration, in line with democratic principles.

The Burden of Bad Roads and Neglect

Residents highlighted the daily struggles they endure due to infrastructural neglect. The poor state of roads linking Egbema communities to Iguobazua makes transportation not only expensive but also risky, especially during the rainy season when large portions of the road become impassable.

Community members argue that beyond voter registration, the lack of basic infrastructure has long isolated them from political inclusion, healthcare, and economic opportunities. They described the situation as “systemic marginalization” that has spanned successive governments.

Appeal to INEC and Government

The people of Egbema are therefore appealing to INEC to deploy registration machines and officers closer to the grassroots to ensure that no eligible voter is denied the right to register and participate in the democratic process.

They further called on both Edo and Delta State Governments, as well as the Federal Government, to prioritize road rehabilitation and infrastructural development in the Egbema area, stressing that political inclusion cannot thrive in the face of deliberate neglect.

“The right to vote is the foundation of democracy. No one should be disenfranchised because of bad roads or high transportation costs. INEC must rise to the occasion and ensure equity,” Prince Agbedeyi O. D emphasized.

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✍️ Author: Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond
📌 Tags: #Egbema #INEC #VoterRegistration #Disenfranchisement #NigeriaElections