Govs polls: Uzodimma, Diri in early lead, Ododo, Ajaka fight for Kogi

After Saturday’s governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states, signs emerged that governors Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Hope Uzodimma of Imo State were in early lead, as compilation of results advanced.

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 poll and observed the compilation of results, which was underway as of press time, gathered that it was a tight contest between Usman Ododo of the APC and Muri Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party. The candidate of the PDP, Dino Melaye, is also a serious contender in the contest.

across addition to our correspondents’ findings across the states, the compilation of some of the results released on the INEC Result Viewing portal highlighted 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 revealed to have polled large votes in Kogi East senatorial district, where he came 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 revealed that out of 3,508 polling units, 3,064 polling units had been uploaded, indicating 87.34 per cent.

Violence, vote-buying mar polls

Meanwhile, the elections were characterized by vote-buying, poor voter turnout and pockets of violence, including killing of a person in Imo State. There were also results of intimidation of voters and stealing of voting materials.

One slain 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 well known as General was also shot dead on Saturday evening at Amanwozuzu in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State.

An eyewitness, who begged 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 killed by men in uniform. He was from Umuomumu Mbieri in the Mbaitoli LG of the state. His corpse has been evacuated by some policemen.”

An further community source verified the murder, stating that the victim was charged with stealing voting materials.

In different spots around the state, people were spotted walking about without voting. Youths were seen in some places playing football on tarred roads, while intimidation and suppression of votes were also noticed in certain localities.

Electoral materials were seized in places like Orsu, Okigwe, Ideato North and South, Oguta and were misdirected 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 observed bribing voters N3,000 at Poling Units 007 and 008 at Adult Education Owerri Municipal.

Also at St Paul’s Primary School Polling Units in Owerri Municipal, some voters won N2,000 each after voting. At Umuodu Community Primary School in Ihihitte-Mbieri ward in the Mabitoli LG, votes were also bought for N2,000.

A Labour Party chieftain, Kingsley Madu, alleged voters were intimidated and that vote-buying was prevalent.

The LP’s Tony Nwulu, the deputy governorship candidate, asserted that his party was leading by a significant margin prior to APC members allegedly moving around in thugs, stealing voting materials, discouraging voters, and purchasing ballots.

But the APC spokesperson in the state, Cajetan Duke, rejected the claim, claiming his party didn’t indulge in any electoral irregularities.

Also, tension was high at the Orji Town Primary School in Owerri North when vote-buying by party agents nearly ruined polling at the centre, which houses units 005, 006 and 007. The exercise was quiet but for periodic disagreement amongst party operatives who seemed hell-bent on persuading voters with cash.

One of the voters, who acknowledged that he got N3,000, said he still voted for the candidate of his choice despite accepting the money. “I took their money and still voted for the candidate of my choice,” the voter stated.

Brutality in Bayelsa

In Bayelsa State, the election was also characterized by violence, intimidation and seizure of ballot boxes in several of the local government areas. The exercise also recorded inadequate attendance of voters across various polling units in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ekeremor, Nembe, Brass, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama and Ogbia LGs.

In Southern Ijaw LG, for instance, armed thugs reportedly assaulted Olodiama and Ologbobiri communities and chased away voters and election staff at polling locations, while voting materials were also hijacked.

A similar occurrence also occurred at Biseni in Yenagoa, Sagbama, Nembe and Brass LGs.

Sunday PUNCH also learnt that there a conflict among the supporters of the governing PDP and the major opposition APC at Famgbe allegedly led to the death of an unnamed individual while some others were hurt.

Early in the day, members of both camps allegedly tried to seize control of the accreditation and voting procedures, resulting in sporadic gunshots.

A citizen who wished to remain anonymous stated, “One person was shot dead in the Famgbe community and accreditation has not started.” This is a really tense scenario. To frighten their supporters on opposing sides, the APC and PDP thugs opened fire. Each side is placing the blame for the violence that occurred on the other.

Additionally, it was alleged that armed thugs broke into voting places in the community of Agorogbene in Sagbama LG and stole ballot boxes as residents fled for their lives.

In the meantime, allegations of vote-buying were traded between the state’s PDP and LP. Udengs Eradiri, the LP’s candidate for the state’s governorship, claimed that Diri, the PDP candidate, was buying votes with cash.

However, Sinkumo Ekisah, the state commissioner for special duties, quickly refuted the allegation, calling it a false alarm.

Imo does likewise

In Imo State, there have also been reports of poor voter turnout.

Samuel Anyanwu, the PDP candidate, claimed that the tardiness of the electoral materials’ arrival would not impact his chances as he cast his ballot at the Central Primary School in Ikeduru at approximately 10.40 a.m.

However, the late arrival of materials and voter indifference in Orji, Owerri North and Ikeduru and Amaimo local government areas led to late commencement of voting.
When one of our correspondents came at Unit 17, along Orji Road at about 8.35am, polling workers had yet to arrive as a few voters, who turned out to vote, waited to vote. But by 9.30 a.m., tables were set up as election officials arrived to get to work. No police officer was also at the polling unit at the time.

Not spared is Kogi

There was low voter turnout in other areas of Kogi State as well. In Lokoja LG, it was noted in Polling Unit 073 adjacent Kenwon Hotel that despite an expected 314 voters, there were just 65 voters when our correspondent visited.

Also, behind a tree beside Jane Palace Hotel, Moremi Area, a Polling Unit having 477 voters, just a few folks were visible in the queue.

One of our sources also learnt that there was vote-buying close to Kenwon Hotel Polling Unit 073, as money was offered to some electorate after voting.

Few voters showed up to cast ballots at Polling Unit 058 at the Federal Medical Center intersection in Lokoja, despite an anticipated 523 voters. A few voters received N3,000 for casting their ballots.

Nonetheless, Sunday PUNCH noted that in the voting places they visited, the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System performed admirably.

Stephen Ojo, an election observer from the Christian Association of Nigeria, praised INEC and the security services for a well-organized and orderly election.

Bello and Diri win PUs.

Our correspondents at the voting locations of some stakeholders commented on the performance of their party in the exercise as the results collation process progressed.

In Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello’s polling place saw 840 votes for the APC, the PDP receiving 0 votes, and the SDP receiving 0.

At Iluafon Quarters, Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu LG, PDP candidate Dino won his polling unit with 210 votes, to the APC’s 22, the ADC’s 7, and the SDP’s 1.

Ajaka, the SDP candidate, received 111 votes, the APC received five, while the PDP and ADC received none. He won his polling unit, Grade 1 Area Court, Ajaka Ward 07 in Igalamela/Odolu LG.

With 218 votes, the PDP candidate and governor of Bayelsa State won in Kalama-Owei Wari Unit 4 Ward 6 in Sampou, Kolokuma/Opokuma, while the APC received 0 votes. However, the ADP received just one vote.

As of the time of publication, it was unknown how many votes Sylva and the other candidates had received in their polling places.

State of Imo

In Imo State, the APC received two votes, while the PDP candidate received 122 votes in polling unit 012, Central Ama Imo, Ikeduru LG.

In the same way, the LP candidate prevailed in Ehime Mbano LG’s Umunumo polling unit. He received 197 votes, compared to 16 for the APC.

INEC official released

On Saturday, the Bayelsa State-based Supervisory Presiding Officer of INEC who had been abducted was liberated. At the Amassoma jetty in the Southern Ijaw LG, he was abducted on Friday.

The official was doing well, according to a statement released on Saturday by Wilfred Ifogah, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Bayelsa State.

Ifogah stated, “The Independent National Electoral Commission, Bayelsa State Office, is pleased to inform stakeholders and concerned citizens in Nigeria that the INEC SPO earlier abducted on the eve of the election has been freed and is doing fine.

The kidnapping of the SPO was reported by Ifogah in a statement on Friday. He also claimed that a boat bringing electoral officers to Registration Area 17 (Koluama) in Southern Ijaw LG capsized. “Fortunately, no life was lost as all the election personnel, numbering 12, and the boat operator were rescued,” he stated.

He mentioned that investigations were underway into the result sheets, power banks, and bags that included the personal belongings of the staff members lost in the incident.

Poll suspended in Kogi wards

INEC on Saturday announced the suspension of election in nine wards in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State. The reason given was electoral malpractice, including the instance of result sheets being completed prior to voting.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Saturday and signed by Mohammed Haruna, the National Commissioner and Member of the Information and Voter Education Committee.

“Our officials in Kogi State submitted reports to the commission regarding instances of electoral malpractice, specifically the matter of result sheets being filled out prior to voting,” he said. According to reports, the occurrences happened in the LGs of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene. Ogori/Magongo was the scene of the most serious occurrences, involving nine out of ten Registration Areas.

“This is entirely unacceptable. Any outcome that does not come from the Polling Unit process conducted by the commission will not be accepted. The commission is resolved not to reward poor behaviour. Consequently, the election in the nine wards in Ogori/Magongo LGA (Eni, Okibo, Okesi, Ileteju, Aiyeromi, Ugugu, Obinoyin, Obatgben and Oturu) is at this moment halted.

“The events in the other local government areas are the subject of in-depth investigations, and within the next 24 hours, the results and next steps will be made public.”

He declared that in order to find out who might have been involved in undermining the process, the panel will audit personnel and documents. “We have a record of every official assigned to a polling location, including supervisors, monitors, technical workers, and officials at different levels, together with all the election materials that were sent to them. Where necessary, appropriate consequences will be implemented, he continued.

Sylva, LP candidate kick

Shortly after voting in his polling unit, Ward 4, the APC candidate for Bayelsa State took questions from the media and accused INEC of making “a careless mistake” by failing to upload the voter registration.

He said that his camp informed INEC’s national leadership of the issue. He nonetheless applauded the commission for improving on the conduct of the polls, saying that there was room for improvement.

“In some cases, our people think that we are running against security, not against PDP,” he continued. But at the end of the day, we will come out victorious.

“I have been told that in Yenagoa there has been a lot of violence. In fact, this morning, I woke up with a story that one of my party members was shot. By afternoon, we had circumstances where the army, notably in Bayelsa State, had taken over several regions. For INEC, I will say there has been a lot of improvement.

“But I was very shocked that the careless mistake only happened in my ward particularly, and the targeted units were very big units that have large numbers of voters. ”

Also, the LP candidate in the state challenged the handling of the poll, alleging it was plagued with anomalies, like selling and buying of votes. He further claimed that the identity of LP polling agents were changed by INEC prior to election day.

Speaking with reporters after casting his ballot in his Agudama-Ekpetiama community, Yenagoa LG, Eradiri remarked, “Unfortunately, vote-buying was the order of the day, and the people were encouraging it and being bought.

“Behind the scenes, you see the buying and selling of votes going on; as you vote you collect your tallies. As you can see, people are confirming with their ballots. So, people don’t care about what you do. They only care about getting money.

“I am disappointed, not only in the process but also in the people, because I thought that the people understood now and that everybody has seen the nakedness of poverty, neglect and incompetence of leadership, hoping that will define the voting pattern, but I was fooled.”