Candidates and their political parties will today engage in intense governorship contests in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.
Checks by LEADERSHIP Weekend in the three states reveal that the candidates, in contests somewhat tainted by ethnic sentiment, violence and agitation for power rotation, will battle not just to retain their strongholds but seek to grab votes in their opponents’ bases.
This comes as the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told LEADERSHIP Weekend yesterday that it was prepared to ensure the elections are credible, fair and transparent.
It said over 94 percent of voters across the three states had collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told this paper yesterday that INEC had deployed over 46,000 adhoc workers for the elections, even as he gave assurance that the commission had enough extra Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) to cover all polling units (Pus).
A total of 5,169,692 registered voters are expected to decide who emerge governors in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states today.
Meanwhile, checks by our correspondents revealed heavy military presence in the state as of last night, following the heavy deployment of security personnel, including officers, to the three states.
Speaking on its readiness for the elections, INEC said it had made adequate logistical arrangements and that checks were underway to ascertain the implementation of the various activities expected to take place before, during, and after the elections.
Chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP Weekend, said the commission has since delivered all the non-sensitive materials needed for the elections.
He said sensitive materials were dropped at the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branches in the three states from Thursday from where they would be dispatched to the various local government areas.
He said 12 out of the 13 items listed in the commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the elections had been carried out.
He said the final activity – the 13th – is today’s election.
“We have made Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) available for collection and I am pleased to say that between 94 and 95 percent of voters across the three states had collected their PVCs.
“For instance, out of the 1,017,613 registered voters in Bayelsa State, only 39,249 have not collected their PVCs. In Imo State, we have 101, 003 uncollected PVCs out of 2,318,919 registered voters, and in Kogi State where we have 1,833,160 registered voters, only 99,494 PVCs are uncollected.
“We will be deploying over 46,000 regular and ad-hoc staff for the elections. Several trainings have already taken place, and more are ongoing. There are 10,510 Polling Units across the three states, but voting will not take place in 38 polling units in Imo State and two polling units in Bayelsa State because they don’t have any registered voters attached to them.
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“We have made adequate arrangements to deploy enough extra Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) to cover all PUs. We will also deploy adequate number of technical personnel to respond immediately in the unlikely event of any complaints over the functionality of the BVAS at any polling unit on Election Day.”
He recalled that mock accreditations in mid-October to test the functionality of the BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in the three states showed overall positive results.
“Polling unit results will be uploaded to the IReV from the individual PUs after the close of polls. Right now, we have improved on and upgraded the IReV to look for certain security features on our Polling Unit Result Sheets before accepting them. Specifically, when our presiding officers attempt to upload Form EC8As from their polling units to the IReV on Election Day, the portal now possesses the protocols to scan the forms for certain security features.”
He explained that if these security features are missing, the IReV will reject that particular Form EC8A or Polling Unit Result Sheet.
“This is to ensure that only our legitimate PU result sheets are uploaded to our IReV.
“As you are aware, voters must present their PVCs with which they will be authenticated and accredited using the BVAS. No PVC, no voting. So far, we have accredited 137,934 polling units and collation agents for the 18 political parties fielding candidates for the elections.”
He further disclosed that 94 media organisations and their 1,255 personnel as well as 126 national and international organisations and their 11,000 observers had been accredited.
For these off-season governorship elections, he said the Commission would collaborate with the transport union, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at the state level and, of course, the individual vehicle and boat owners for forward and reverse logistics.
“We are paying the vehicle and boat owners directly and a Memorandum of Understanding containing the terms and rules of engagement have been signed and sealed.”
On the threat of violence, the Commission said it had made it very clear to political parties and their candidates that provocative remarks as well as violent acts that threaten the peace of candidates in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states will not be tolerated.
“However, we rely on members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to provide adequate security before, during, and after the elections in the three States.,” he added.
The Bayelsa State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed the abduction of a Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) assigned to Registration Area – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama local government area of the State.
In a statement issued late Friday night in Yenagoa and signed by the INEC head of voter education and publicity department, Mr. Wilfred Ifogah, the electoral commission said that the SPO, whose name was not disclosed, was abducted while waiting to board a boat to his area of assignment at Amassoma Jetty.
Kogi
Security measures in Kogi State have been heightened in anticipation of today’s governorship election.
Our reporter who visited some areas in the state capital observed heavily armed security personnel moving around.
Additional helicopters have been deployed for aerial patrols, and heavily armed security personnel are conducting visible patrols in the state capital.
Military trucks and personnel are notably present, especially in areas affected by previous attacks.
Police patrol vehicles are strategically positioned at major public places, indicating increased vigilance by security agencies to respond to any unforeseen incidents.
Meanwhile, the major contenders in the state hope to hold their political base in the contest.
The All Progressives Congress’ (APC) candidate, Usman Ahmed Ododo, is widely accepted in Kogi Central Senatorial District where he hails from.
But it is yet to be seen what impact Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, who recently assumed representation of the district in the National Assembly, will make in the political district.
Also it would be interesting to see what impact political appointees in other districts will spring for the APC in their local council areas.
PDP’s candidate, Sen Dino Melaye, will bank on Akpoti-Uduaghan and some other members outside his Kogi West zone which he hopes to win.
Because of the strength of his party, he is expected to make an impact in Okehi, Ajaokuta, Bassa, Ankpa and Ijumu where he hails from.
The SDP candidate, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, will seek to consolidate his Kogi East. It will be interesting to see how he performs in Kogi Central, even though he is expected to get votes from Kogi West.
African Democratic Congress’ (ADC) candidate, Leke Abejide, is expected to get votes in his base of Yagba federal constituency which he represents at the National Assembly. These councils are Mopamuro,Yagba East and Yagba West.
Meanwhile, the state’s election-violence profile is high, considering its recent history. In 2019 the burning to death of a PDP women leader, Mrs Salome Abuh, in her house, was a major incident and shows just how far some politicians can go in the state.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours to the election, chairman of Lokoja local government area, Hon. Mohammed Dansebe, died yesterday morning.
However, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Gabriel Hale Longpet, assured that the commission was prepared to conduct a peaceful, credible and fair election in the state.
Addressing a press conference at the headquarters of the commission in Lokoja, Longpet said the commission had received assurance from the various security agencies that there will be a secured environment for all electoral activities.
He added that provisions have been made for both land and water transportation as well as the deployment of both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials.
Similarly, the civil society has asked stakeholders in the electoral process to uphold the highest professional standards in the conduct of the election.
Chairperson of Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET) Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, made this call at the security-CSOS-INEC-Media Roundtable session on peaceful gubernatorial election in Kogi State, yesterday.
He underscored the need for collective effort towards building trust in the electoral system and to ensure that the will of the people is respected.
Imo
A fresh crisis may be brewing as several people who applied and trained as adhoc workers complained that their names had been swapped with fresh names.
LEADERSHIP Weekend observed several persons seated under a canopy at INEC headquarters even as many of them kept asking for the accredited list with their names.
Few who spoke on the condition of anonymity complained that they were yet to see their names even as they alleged that those whose names appeared did not attend the training.
A lot of the new recruits were youngsters with several still undergraduates who appear to have arrived from outside Owerri as they all clutched bags with a change of clothes.
Possible Flash points
Following the arrest of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, violence increased in the state especially by those believed to be Biafra apologists.
As a result, terror camps sprang up in different parts of the state. However, the police and army have unmasked several but many communities are deserted.
However, in a bid to show what politicians call capacity, some places may be flash points.
Ehime Mbano local government is the council area of Senator Athan Achonu, the Labour Party candidate.
Chief Tony Chukwu, an Igbo businessman and loyalist to Uzodimma, will engage in a game of wits over who wins.
Ideato North and South local government areas are Ikenga Ugochinyere Imo, Barr Chioma Uzodimma, and Senator Rochas Okorocha strongholds. While Ikenga will want to justify why he’s the campaign director general of PDP’s Sam-Jones ticket, the first lady and Okorocha will try to swing it for APC.
In Ikeduru, Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP will contest control with Chief Charles Amadi (Chavon), an Uzodimma core loyalist.
Orlu, Orsu, Oguta, Ohaji-Egbema, Nwangele, Nkwerre, Njaba, Oru East, Oru West and Isu are flash points for all the candidates who will battle to show supremacy. Governor Hope Uzodimma, Jones Onyereri (PDP deputy governorship candidate), Chinasa Nwaneri, Cyprian Akaolisa, Nwachuku Canice-More, and Amara Nwanyanwu will battle to win for either PDP or APC. The area is considered the strong place of loyalists to Uzodimma, Anyanwu, and Achonu.
These local governments will swing the numbers
Mbaitoli local government:
Uzodimma’s right hand man, Hon Innocent Ikpamezie, will fight to the finish to show capacity, while Anyanwu will want to get a foothold.
Okigwe, Obowo, Onuimo, and Isiala Mbano local government areas may be the strongholds for Sen Athan Achonu of Labour Party but core APC loyalists will try to prove a point. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume may bare his fangs against Uzodimma for denying him the NNPC plum job.
Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, and Ezinihitte local government areas were Chief Emeka Ihedioha’s strongholds but it’s an open secret that he’s not pulling any strings for Anyanwu.
Tony Nwulu, the deputy governorship candidate for Labour Party in his 40s, is expected to spring a surprise.
General Lincoln Ogunewe (retd) of Action Alliance will try to show some fight in the Mbaise nation.
Meanwhile, former Southeast representative in the Nigeria Civil Society situation room, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, in her assessment, said the Imo election will go down as the most peaceful in the history of the state.
According to her, despite the fears, people are ready and willing to shun violence.
A resident, Chinonso Okere, said he is confident of peaceful polls, but expressed concerns over the number of security operatives in the state.
According to him, the operatives could soon outnumber the residents.
Nnamdi Iheagwaram, a journalist, told LEADERSHIP Weekend: “I don’t see any kind of violence in the election because the state is almost militarised and Imolites appear afraid.”
Bayelsa
Brass, Nembe and Ogbia have been identified as flashpoints following cases of intimidation of voters and violence in these council areas
On August 13, 2023, one person was reportedly shot dead, while others got injured when armed men in multiple vehicles invaded Opu Nembe (Basambri) in Nembe Local Council of Bayelsa State.
Nembe also recorded violence during the 2019 governorship election, where an Outside Broadcasting Van (OBV) driver with state-owned Radio Bayelsa was killed at a campaign rally.
In Ogbia council, INEC’s election material distribution centre in Okodi town was attacked and burnt down by thugs.
However, the Inspector-general of police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, during a courtesy visit to Government House, Yenagoa, read the riot act to perpetrators of electoral violence, and asked them to steer clear of the state.
Undeterred, however, head of INEC’s department of education and publicity, Wilfred Ifogah said the commission was ready and prepared for the election.
“Materials have been deployed to the local government areas. By today, we are moving the materials to the registration areas. All the necessary logistics have been put in place. For the ad-hoc staff, their names have been released; they are already going down to their local government for deployment”, he said.
Brass
APC governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, is from Brass local government area. He has a stronghold in Okpoma but not in Twon-Brass and Akassa which have a member of the House of Representatives, Marie Ebikake, and the state assembly speaker, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ngobere.
Ekeremor
This is the local government area of the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewrudjakpo, who hails from Ofoni community, as well as the member representing Bayelsa West Federal Constituency, Hon. Fred Agbedi. The area has political appointees in the administration of Senator Douye Diri, including members of the House of Assembly. It is expected that they will take advantage of the availability of resources and political structure already existing to vote massively and deliver PDP.
The current Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and a former deputy governor of the state, Peremobowei Ebebi, who are members of the APC, are from the same Ekeremor LGA, but the PDP has 60 percent chances of winning in Ekeremor.
Sagbama
Sagbama is a PDP stronghold because of the influence of the former governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.
Kolokuma/Opokuma
Kolokuma/Opokuma is the local government of the incumbent governor Senator Douye Diri and PDP will deliver a block vote for the governor.
Ogbia
PDP might not get 100 percent of Ogbia but it will have about 60 percent of votes in Ogbia because of the influence of the former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the member representing Bayelsa East Federal Constituency and director general Diri Campaign Organisation, Hon. Miteme Obodo.
PDP has a stronghold in the entire Oloibiri group and three wards in the Kolo Creek while one ward in Kolo Creek and the riverine communities in Ogbia are APC strongholds because of the influence of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Dr. Samuel Ogbuku.
Southern Ijaw
Most communities in Southern Ijaw local government area are surrounded by the ocean except Amassoma community where the Bayelsa Cargo Airport and the Niger Delta University are located. PDP has a stronghold in Amassoma but, from observation, what will determine victory at the poll in the LGA will be votes from the coastal communities.
The APC governorship candidate in 2019 election, David Lyon, hails from one of the riverine communities with his large crowd of supporters but political observers believe that his complete absence during APC campaign even at the grand finale, might be as a result of unresolved feud between him and the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva.
The APC deputy governorship candidate, Joshua Maciver, is also from Southern Ijaw LGA, but his undeniable influence as a grassroots politician can only deliver his party in his own ward and few others. With the votes from Amassoma and other pockets of votes from the riverine communities, PDP seems to have more advantage in Southern Ijaw LGA.
Yenagoa
Yenagoa local government area is a hunting ground for the PDP. It is the state capital and has enjoyed to a large extent the policies of successive governments since the creation of Bayelsa State. PDP has eighty percent chances of winning in Yenagoa.
HRH King Kenneth Ngopukeme, the Amanaowei of Opuama Kingdom in South Ijaw local government area, said that all the political parties had campaigned very well, adding that as a traditional ruler, his prayer is that there should be no incidents of violence during the election
Pastor Canus Kia Kennedy, from ward 13 Opuama in Southern Ijaw local government area, said that with the level of sensitisation that has been done both on the media and other sources, he is expecting that voters will turn out en masse to exercise their franchise peacefully and vote in who they want to be governor of the state.
