Govs polls: Uzodimma, Diri in early lead, Ododo, Ajaka fight for Kogi
After Saturday’s governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states, indications emerged that governors Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Hope Uzodimma of Imo State were in early lead, as collation of results progressed.
In Bayelsa State, Diri, who is seeking re-election, is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, while Uzodimma, also seeking re-election, is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
However, in Kogi State, our correspondents who covered the election and monitored the collation of results, which was ongoing as of press time, gathered that it was a tight race between Usman Ododo of the APC and Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party. The candidate of the PDP, Dino Melaye, is also a major contender in the election.
In addition to our correspondents’ findings in the states, the collation of some of the results uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing portal by Sunday PUNCH showed the early performance of the parties.
In Bayelsa State, for example, the computation of votes in 131 random polling units across some local government areas showed that PDP’s Diri already garnered 13, 396 votes, while his closest challenger, APC’s Timipre Sylva, garnered 4,802 votes.
In Imo State, the computation done by our correspondents in 90 polling units, which cuts across different local government areas, showed that APC’s Uzodinma polled 22,113 votes, while the candidate of the PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, and that of the Labour Party, Senator Athan Achonu, garnered 1,452 and 1,658 votes respectively.
In Kogi State, where the exercise is believed to be a three horse race, the calculation done by some of our correspondents across 149 polling units scattered across five local government areas showed that APC’s Adodo scored 21,047 votes, followed by SDP’s Ajaka, with 7,324 votes and PDP’s Melaye with 2,529 votes. Meanwhile, Ajaka was found to have polled massive votes in Kogi East senatorial district, where he hails from.
As of 11:03pm, the IReV portal indicated that in Bayelsa State, 85.29 per cent of the results had been uploaded, as 1,914 polling unit results had been uploaded out of the 2,242 total polling units.
For Imo State, as of 11:18pm, the portal indicated that out of the 4,758 total polling units, 4,287 polling units had been uploaded, representing 90.1 per cent.
For Kogi State, as of 11:20pm, the portal indicated that out of 3,508 polling units, 3,064 polling units had been uploaded, representing 87.34 per cent.
Violence, vote-buying mar polls
Meanwhile, the elections were marred by vote-buying, low voter turnout and pockets of violence, including killing of an individual in Imo State. There were also results of intimidation of voters and snatching of electoral materials.
One killed in Imo
The poll in Imo State was marred by vote-buying, low voter turnout, intimidation of voters and snatching of electoral materials.
A man identified simply as Chidi but popularly known as General was also shot dead on Saturday evening at Amanwozuzu in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent, “A man known as Chidi but popularly called General was shot dead this (Saturday) evening in the Amanwozuzu area of Iho in the Ikeduru LG.
“After killing him, they took away his bag. He was shot dead by men in uniform. He was from Umuomumu Mbieri in the Mbaitoli LG of the state. His corpse has been evacuated by some policemen.”
Another source from the community confirmed the killing, saying the deceased was accused of snatching ballot papers.
In various places across the state, people were seen going about without voting. Youths were seen in several places playing football on tarred roads, while intimidation and suppression of voters were also noticed in some areas.
Electoral materials were snatched in places like Orsu, Okigwe, Ideato North and South, Oguta and were diverted to people’s homes.
Our correspondents also saw party agents buying votes. At the Owerri municipal council, for example, votes were bought for between N2,000 and N3,000. Part agents were seen paying voters N3,000 at Poling Units 007 and 008 at Adult Education Owerri Municipal.
It’s Apolling
Results are long awaited