Nigeria’s APC wins Kogi and Imo states; the outcome of the Bayelsa election is postponed. Two states’ gubernatorial elections were won by Nigeria’s governing party despite allegations of fraud, violence, and poor voter turnout.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates won in central Kogi state as well as Imo, in the southeast.
The election commission dismissed fraud allegations in Kogi communities, stating that the evidence was insignificant and did not impact the final results.
The southern Bayelsa state results are not expected until Monday.
This is due to the fact that some votes from Saturday’s vote are still being tallied.
Governors in Nigeria oversee enormous budgets, surpassing even those of several West African nations, under the country’s federal structure.
There have been other stories, though, indicating that part of this money was pilfered. A number of past governors have faced legal action and imprisonment for embezzlement and financial fraud.
Hope Uzodinma won Imo state with 540,000 votes, followed by Samuel Anyanwu of the PDP with 71,500 votes and Athan Nneji Achonu of the Labour Party with 64,000 votes. A strike disrupted power and drinking water supply, leading to people waiting in line to buy water instead of casting their ballots.
In Kogi state, Ahmed Usman Ododo of the APC received 446,000 votes, followed by Alhaji Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with 260,000, and Dino Melaye of the PDP with 46,000.
There are reports of two persons shot dead who were allegedly attempting to steal voting boxes.
In response to opposition claims that the results had been predetermined before voting even began, the electoral authority first declared that new elections would be required in certain areas of the state.
The replays were canceled, it was later reported, since there were fewer registered voters in these locations than Mr. Ododo’s margin of victory.
In Bayelsa state, there were reportedly several altercations on Saturday during polling. A day before polling, an electoral officer was kidnapped and later freed.
After the two leading opposition candidates contested the results of the presidential election in February, these elections are considered as a gauge of public trust in the democratic process.
They had filed a lawsuit to have the results reversed on the grounds of suspected irregularities.
However, the judges maintained President Bola Tinubu’s election win, stating that the opposition had not produced any proof of election manipulation.
