Voters in Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi go to polls today to elect their governors

Eligible voters are filing out in Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo States today (November 11) to cast their ballots for new governors.

An estimated 5,169,692 registered voters in the three states are expected to participate in the elections, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Persecondnews reports.

In Kogi, out of the 1,932,654 registered voters, 1,833,160 collected their PVCs, leaving 99,494 PVCs uncollected while in Bayelsa, out of the 1,056,862 registered voters, 1,017,613 collected their PVCs with 39,249 PVCs uncollected.

Similarly in Imo, out of the 2,419,922 registered voters, 2,318,919 collected their PVCs with 101,003 PVCs not yet collected.

The contest is likely to be keen in Bayelsa and Imo states as the incumbent governors — Douye Diri of PDP and Hope Uzodimma of APC — are seeking return tickets.

In Imo alone, 17 other candidates will slug it out with Uzodimma including Samuel Anyanwu of the People’s Democratic Party, and Athan Achonu of the Labour Party who have been described as top contenders.

Other candidates include Uchenna Okere of Accord Party; Jack Ogunewe of Action Alliance; Ifeanyi Awulonu of African Action Congress; Otumbadi Okoroma of African Democratic Congress; Steve Nwoga of Action Democratic Party; Anthony Ejiogu of All Progressives Grand Alliance; Chibuike Edoziem of Allied Peoples Movement; Obieze Achilike of Action Peoples Party; and Isaac Iwuanyanwu of Boot Party.

Ben Ofunzeh of New Nigeria Peoples Party; Cole Okwara of National Rescue Movement; Ishiodu Uchechukwu of People’s Redemption Party; Bright Ekwebelem of Social Democratic Party; Chino Opara of Young Progressives Party; and Andy Chibuike of the Zenith Labour Party also make the list.

Also in Kogi, 18 candidates are in the race to succeed incumbent Gov. Yahaya Bello at Lord Lugard House in Lokoja. They are APC’s Usman Ododo, PDP’s Dino Melaye, SDP’s Muri Ajaka, and ADC’s Leke Abejide.

Other are Adejo Okeme of the Labour Party, Fatima Suleiman of the ZLP, Musa Mubarak of the NNPP, Muhammed Umar of Boot Party, Onaji Frank of the APP, Isah Dauda of APM, Ilonah Kingsley of APGA, Elukpo Julius of ADP and Buraimoh Olayinka of Action Alliance.

The situation in Bayelsa is not any different as 15 other candidates will battle with Governor Diri.

The contestants are former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-governor, Timipre Sylva of APC, Eradiri Udengmobofa of the Labour Party; Oguara Nengimonyo of ADP; Ogege Mercy of APP; Idikio Jones of Accord Party, Bufumoh Alex of AA; Kalango Davies of ADC; Subiri Joseph of APGA; Osharikeni Saturday of APM; and Ben Magbodo of Boot Party.

Others include Azebi Ayabeke of the NNPP; Micah Akeems of NRM; Ozato Erepadei of PRP; Osuluku Binaleyefa of SDP and Simeon Karrioru of ZLP.