The governorship elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa states have produced some clear winners and losers, as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results of the polls held on Saturday.
In Imo state, the incumbent Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), secured a second term in office with a landslide victory. He won all the 27 local government areas of the state, polling 540,308 votes. His closest rival, Senator Samuel Anyanwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 71,503 votes, while Senator Athan Achonu of the Labour Party (LP) came third with 64,081 votes. The PDP and LP candidates rejected the outcome of the election and called for its cancellation, alleging irregularities and malpractices.
In Kogi state, the APC candidate, Alhaji Usman Ododo, was coasting home to victory with 446,237 votes, after the results of three remaining LGAs were released on Sunday night. He had a massive lead in 18 of the 21 LGAs in the state, winning 11 of them and garnering 417,166 votes. His main challenger, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), won six LGAs and polled 208,503 votes. The PDP candidate, Senator Dino Melaye, failed to win any LGA and scored 41,925 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Leke Abejide, won one LGA, Yagba East.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC) has announced that fresh elections will be held on Saturday, November 18, in polling units where the exercise was earlier suspended in Kogi state due to electoral malpractice.
The decision to hold fresh elections was made following reports of completed result sheets before the commencement of voting in nine wards of Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area (LGA) and similar incidents in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, and Okene LGAs
In Bayelsa state, the incumbent Governor, Douye Diri, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the PDP, was ahead of his opponents with five LGAs in his favour. He had 312,784 votes, while his main rival, Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC, had 189,432 votes. Sylva won only one LGA, Nembe, where he hails from. The results of two LGAs, Southern Ijaw and Ekeremor, were still being awaited as of press time.
