As the people of Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states choose their next leaders, a total of 5,169,692 registered voters are poised to shape the destiny of their respective states in the anticipated governorship elections tomorrow.
LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the number of registered voters closely aligns with the total number of permanent voter cards collected for this crucial democratic exercise.
Delimitation data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that the states have a total of 5,409,438 registered voters, while 5,169,692 permanent voter cards (PVCs) were collected by the voters.
In Bayelsa State, 1,017,613 permanent voter cards were collected, Imo State voters collected 2,318,919 PVCs while in Kogi State the figure is 1,833,160.
Although there are fears of likely voter apathy amid tension in the states' political landscape, the security agencies have given strong assurances about the safety of all voters.
The election will be conducted in 56 local government areas across the three states.
LEADERSHIP Friday reports that this is the first time that the commission will be conducting three off-cycle governorship elections simultaneously across different geo-political zones.
INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said this was made possible by the coincidence of the end of the tenure of the current holders of the offices which fall within the constitutional timeframe of not earlier than 150 days or later than 30 days before the expiration of their terms of office, as enshrined in Section 178(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
He also assured Nigerians that the electoral body had done everything possible to guarantee that the weekend's election is free, fair and credible.
Yakubu, however, urged stakeholders, particularly, the political actors to give peace a chance and allow all its preparations to come to fruition.
Yakubu gave the assurance while delivering a goodwill message at the signing of the Peace Accord by political parties and candidates for the Imo State governorship election under the auspices of the National Peace Committee held in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
In Bayelsa State, the election will be held in eight local government areas which are Sagbama with 138,832 voters, Kolokuma/ Opokuma, 65,364, Yenagoa, 218,394, Ekeremor, 137,225, Ogbia 119,571, Southern Ijaw, 184,401, Nembe 99,035, and Brass, 94,040 voters.
Also, there are two polling units with no registered voters.
In Imo State the election will be held in Ideato North Local Government with 86,905 accredited voters, Orsu, 57,721, Oru West, 71,183, Oru East, 85,902, Oguta, 95,287, Ohaji Egbema, 107,456, Orlu, 103,223, Ideato South, 79,310, Nkwerre, 59,899, Njaba, 64,068, Isu, 55,203, Nwangele, 55,808, Isiala Mbano, 99,149, Okigwe, 76,250, Onuimo, 36,548, and Ehime Mbano, 79,212 voters.
Others are Ihitte Uboma, 52,108 accredited voters, Mbaitoli, 153,283, Ikeduru 119,987, Ahiazu Mbaise, 98,887, Obowo, 68,690, Owerri Municipal 134,194, Owerri North, 134,557, Aboh Mbaise, 111,207, Ezinihitte Mbaise, 91,595, Owerri West, 140,242, and Ngor Okpala, 102,048.
In Kogi State, Yagba West has 51,234 voters, Yagba East, 53,436, Mopa Moro, 26,827, Ijumu, 66,482, Ogori Mangogo, 17,688, Kabba/Bunu, 87,162, Lokoja 157,248, Okehi, 94,456, Adavi, 114,663, Kogi. K.K. 63,342, Bassa, 69,376, Omala 74,537, Dekina, 187,881, and Okene, 151,243.
Others are Ajaokuta 96,504, Ofu 101,964, Ankpa 180,095, Idah 64,519, Galamela Odolu 77,577, Olamaboro 105,864 and Ibaji 90,556.
A total of 649 registration areas had been designated for the gubernatorial elections. Also, across the three states, 10,510 polling units are prepared for voters to cast their ballots.
The total number of permanent voters card collected by local governments in Bayelsa State are: Sagbama 134,867, Kolokuma/Opokuma 62,144, Yenagoa 201,490, Ekeremor 128,683, Ogbia 118,940, Southern Ijaw 182,659, Nembe 97,328 and Brass 91,502.
In Imo Ideato North 83,04, Orsu 49,779, Oru West 71,106, Oru East 84,173, Oguta 95,200, Ideato South 78,703, Orlu 102,116, Njaba 57,874, Nkwerre 58,540, Nwangele 53,965, Isu 53,993, Isiala Mbano 95,108, Okigwe 72,940, Onuimo 35,822, Ehime Mbano 77,459, Ihitte Uboma 50,744, and Mbaitoli 152,371.
Others are Ikeduru 114,009, Ahiazu Mbaise 94,176, Obowo 63,739, Ohaji Egbema 102,212, Owerri Municipal 120,586, Owerri West 137,032, Owerri North 124,919, Ngor Okpala 93,068, Aboh Mbaise 108,536 and Ezinihitte Mbaise 87,708.
Also, In Kogi, the total number of Permanent Voters Card collected by the Local Government are Yagba East 47,511, Yagba West 47,296, Kabba/Bunu 81,091, Kogi. K.K. 60,524, Mopa Moro 21,565, Lokoja 147,257, Bassa 68,699, Omala 69,388, Ijumu 61,546, Oĸeʜi 91,977, Adavi 113,024, Ogori Mangogo 15,822, Dekina 184,264, Ajaokuta 91,188, Ankpa 164,514, Okene 149,085, Ofu 93,823, Idah 62,193, Igalamela Odolu 72,700, Olamaboro 101,017 and Ibaji 88,676.
Surprisingly, 40 polling units have no registered voters, 38 in Imo State and 2 in Bayelsa State, raising concerns about voter participation and engagement in these specific locations.
Similarly, the summary released by the nation's electoral body shows that a total of 130,093 party polling unit agents (PUAs) and 7,841 collation agents were submitted to INEC by political parties.
In summary, the All Progressives Congress (APC) deployed 2,242 polling unit agents for Bayelsa, 4,721 for Imo, and 3508 for Kogi. They also deployed 114 collation agents for Bayelsa, 332 for Imo, and 261 for Kogi. The Peoples Democratic Party deployed 2,242 PUAs for Bayelsa, 4,721 for Imo and 3,508 for Kogi and the Social Democratic Party deployed 2,242 PUAs for Bayelsa, 4721 for Imo and 3,508 for Kogi.
For the 2023 governorship election, 16 political parties, 16 governorship candidates comprising 14 male and two female candidates will slug it out in Bayelsa.
In Imo, 18 political parties, 18 governorship candidates, comprising 18 males and one person with disability, will compete in Imo polls, while in Kogi, 18 political parties, 18 governorship candidates comprising 17 males and one female candidate will contest in the election.
LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the incumbent Bayelsa governor, Douye Diri (PDP), will face a stiff contest from former governor, Timipre Sylva (APC) who himself was a governor under the PDP before later defecting.
Meanwhile, Kogi State elections have been a major spectacle for observers and commentators due to the zonal makeup of the state as well as the voting power of each zone in a largely heterogeneous state.
Since 1999, the zonal representation in Lugard House has been Kogi East (16 years), Kogi Central (8 years), and Kogi West (0 years). This is the crux of the current push by politicians from Kogi West Senatorial district to have one of their own come in as governor.
Following the primaries within the state, APC, the ruling party, is presenting Ahmed Usman Ododo (Kogi Central) as its gubernatorial flag bearer. The SDP has presented Alhaji Murtala Agaka (Kogi East) as its gubernatorial flag bearer while the PDP (Senator Dino Melaye) and the ADC (Hon. Leke Abejide) have presented candidates from Kogi West as their candidates. This has made the elections take on primordial sentiments as grounds for voting for the candidates.
Kogi state has had a steady voter turnout of between 37 per cent and 39 per cent in the last three elections. Kogi East has the largest number of registered voters (51 per cent in 2023) while Kogi West comes in second.
Low turnout of voters in the past was attributed to the fear of violence at the polls.
APC controls the current State House of Assembly with 23 out of 25 seats.
On insecurity, there has been a consistent trend of violence in the Kogi elections. In the March elections, there were allegations of kidnap of INEC staffers who were conducting constituency collation in Lokoja.
The candidate of the SDP had on the 3rd June and on two occasions in July escaped assassination attempts.
The candidate of the PDP had also recently held a press conference where he called on security forces to act on intelligence reports of threats to the life of his supporters.
Candidates have also complained about state government hindrances to the use of billboards by charging exorbitant prices.
The outcome of this election, with millions of voters participating, will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the leadership and governance of Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa.
Military, DSS, Police Warn Trouble Makers
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has uncovered plots to impersonate military personnel during the off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States to cause havoc.
The director, Defence Media Operations Major General Edward, who disclosed this during the biweekly update on military operations, said such persons should cancel such ideas because there will be injurious consequences.
He said election is a serious business and the military high command had deployed its personnel to ensure a safe environment for voters to exercise their franchise
"For the off-season elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States this weekend, the military is deployed in strength for the election to emplace a safe environment for voters to peaceful come out and cast their votes.
"However, we are aware of plans of some to disguise themselves in military gear to orchestrate havoc and disrupt elections in some areas. Our message to such a group is that there will be injurious consequences for such an action. The military will not fold its arms and watch its image dragged to the mud," he said.
Aslo, the Department of State Services (DSS) has warned politicians and non-state actors against inflammatory statements concerning the elections in Nigeria especially the incoming gubernatorial elections in Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States on November 11.
The spokesperson of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, in a statement yesterday, said the Service had observed rising trends and patterns of incendiary comments by some personalities of influence and representatives of non-governmental entities within and outside the country; and such statements run against public peace and harmony.
He said,"The Service, therefore, implores all stakeholders, irrespective of their political affiliations or grievances, to engage in respectful and constructive conversations that promote collective understanding. It has thus become imperative that public commentaries should shift towards unity and peace necessary for national development and security. This should be our shared responsibility and indeed the priority of everyone."
On his part, the inspector-general of police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has deployed three deputy inspectors-general of police (DIGs) to supervise elections in the three affected states.
Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the three DIGs deployed to supervise the elections include DIG Frank Mba in charge of the Department of Training and Development to oversee elections in Imo State; DIG Habu Sani, in charge of the Department of Force Intelligence, to Kogi State and DIG Daniel Sokari-Pedro, in charge of the Department of Information and Communication Technology, to Bayelsa State.
The IGP, according to ACP Adejobi, emphasized that only security personnel specifically assigned to election duties are to be seen within and around the designated election booths and centres.
"Also, the ban on the unauthorized use of sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, and tinted glasses is still in force, and violators would be sanctioned appropriately.
"All State-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management," ACP Adejobi said.
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Also, the police also restricted movement of all persons and groups who are not directly involved in the conduct of the elections from 12 midnight on Friday to 6pm on Saturday (the day of the election.)
Adejobi said that the IGP has sternly warned all security aides and escorts to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election as anyone found flouting this directive will be severely sanctioned.
Meanwhile, the corps marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu has directed the deployment of 1500 personnel of the Corps and 35 vehicles including tow trucks, ambulances to each of the respective States to strengthen enforcement of restrictions during the entire process of the election.
INEC Distributes Non-sensitive Materials
In Kogi State, the electoral body has distributed non-sensitive materials, even as it assured that it is fully ready for the conduct of the election.
Similarly, the security presence in the state has been increased with the deployment of police helicopters over the capital city of Lokoja and its environs.
There are several checkpoints all over the various highways and joint security patrols are moving around the state capital and other local government headquarters.
In Bayelsa State, there was heavy presence of military, police and civil defence officers mounting surveillance at INEC office at Swali, Yenagoa, the state capital.
The sorting of non-sensitive material went on inside the INEC office.
INEC regular workers, ad-hoc staff and election observers were seen doing documentations and supervising sensitive election materials ahead of their distributions scheduled for tomorrow.
Earlier, a large number of women dressed in black attire had stormed the Bayelsa State police command headquarters to demand the redeployment of the Commissioner of Police, CP Tolani Alausa.
The protesting women also called on President Ahmed Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure a non-violent November 11 election in the state.
Red Cross Deploy 90 First Aid Teams In Kogi
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Red Cross (NRC) has deployed 90 first aid teams to all the 21 local government areas in Kogi State as part of its efforts to take care of emergency cases during the coming governorship election holding in the state on Saturday, November 11.
The state NRC branch secretary, Comrade Danjuma Ahmed Usman, who disclosed this yesterday in Lokoja, said the agency had deployed their volunteers to attend to emergency cases where available.
He said the deployed 90 Emergency First Aid Teams had been instructed to take care of the aged, physically challenged and any other emergency situation on election day.
