November 11, (THEWILL) – An air of apprehension has enveloped Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States as residents file out to the polls to elect new governors.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a total of 5.41 million eligible voters will participate in the elections – 2,419,922 in Imo, 1,932,654 in Kogi and 1,056,862 in Bayelsa.
The off-cycle election, marks a significant milestone as it is the first election conducted after President Bola Tinubu, assumed office on May 29, 2023.
Rocked by stained integrity over the conduct of the February 25 election, INEC has expressed its readiness to ensure credible polls in the three states.
“We will continue to ensure free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections but INEC cannot do it alone”, National Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, said in an address to stakeholders.
The electoral umpire, maintained that it has learnt lessons “from recent elections” and is in a better state for this election.
Hours before the polls, the commission, distributed sensitive and non-sensitive voting materials with 137,973 party agents set to feature in the elections. Life jackets were also distributed in the coastal state of Bayelsa.
While insecurity has been a major concern, especially in Imo and Kogi states, security agencies have read the riot act to miscreants, saying it won’t be business as usual.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, warned on Thursday, that the Nigerian military will not fold its hands.
Warning unnamed groups, the military said: “Our message to such a group is that there will be injurious consequences for such an action.
“There is no cause for concern, there is adequate security arrangements on ground to guarantee adequate security for the entire law abiding Citizens before, during and after the polls, right now troops, equipment and other logistics are being deployed to the affected states where the elections are taking place on Saturday to complement the security arrangements on ground”, he assured, while promising injurious consequences for perpetrators of violence.
On his part, Nigeria’s Police Chief, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, said: “My advice to criminals is that they should stay away from these elections because it is not going to be business as usual. They are not going to be given space to operate during these elections and I really mean it.”
To forestall vote-buying and related crimes, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has deployed its operatives to the states.
“The Commission’s monitoring operations, are to tackle any form of voter inducement through vote buying, vote selling, and other manipulation of the electoral processes at variance with the Electoral Act”, the agency’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale said.
Although three states are billed for the polls, Kogi and Imo states seem to be getting the eyeballs. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) controls both states.
In Imo, incumbent Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who doubles as the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, is seeking a second term in office.
Uzodimma rode into power in 2020, following the Supreme Court nullification of Emeka Ihedioha’s election. Today, he faces stiffer competition from 17 candidates cleared by INEC.
But his major contenders are the Labour Party (LP)’s Athan Achonu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Samuel Anyanwu.
In Kogi, the election is a contest between candidates, political parties and the major ethnic groups in the state.
Governed by the APC, 18 candidates are on the ballot but PDP’s Dino Melaye, Usman Ododo, a former accountant-general of the state (APC), Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP)’s Murtala Ajaka, are the heavyweights to watch.
In Bayelsa, INEC has cleared 16 candidates, but two are considered the top challengers.
Incumbent, Douye Diri, who is flying the PDP’s flag, has to contend with a former governor of the oil-rich state, Timipre Sylva of the APC.
