Off-cycle Polls: Uzodimma, Ododo Secure Victories Amid Protests and Allegations

Imo State:

The victory of Governor Hope Uzodimma, declared winner of Imo State’s governorship poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), sparked protests from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP). Uzodimma secured a second term after winning all 27 local government areas, receiving 540,008 votes. Opposition parties alleged collusion between security agents, INEC, and the APC to manipulate the results, demanding a complete cancellation of the poll.

LP’s candidate, Athan Aconu, vowed to contest the outcome at the election tribunal, citing irregularities, including vote-buying and assaults on party agents. They claimed voting occurred without proper accreditation and criticized security personnel for their alleged compromise.

In contrast, Governor Uzodimma called for unity, urging opponents to collaborate for the state’s progress, emphasizing his commitment to fulfilling campaign promises.

Kogi State:

The Kogi gubernatorial election saw the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) Usman Ododo declared the winner. However, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and PDP raised concerns over corrupt practices, alleged over-voting, and irregularities in various local government areas. PDP standard-bearer Dino Melaye insisted that the election be canceled, highlighting the non-use of the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and manual accreditation.

While APC maintained confidence in Ododo’s victory, they urged INEC to protect the integrity of the votes amidst allegations of threats on electoral staff. The SDP submitted a petition for result cancellations in several LGs, emphasizing malpractices and vote-buying.

Bayelsa State:

In Bayelsa, protests erupted as PDP supporters contested election results from Nembe-Bassambiri, alleging voter disenfranchisement and fraudulent activities in APC strongholds. The protesters demanded the rejection of these results, asserting that no voting occurred in Nembe-Bassambiri. They called for INEC’s intervention to ensure fair voting processes and discard alleged fake results.

These disputes escalated, leading to the holding of INEC officials hostage in Brass LG, a situation that the electoral body deemed detrimental to credible elections. Tragically, an individual lost his life amidst election collation in Twon-Brass, prompting condemnation from political figures and calls for immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits.

The security agencies were called upon to investigate and secure the release of the detained INEC officials in Brass LG, emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace and credibility in the electoral process.

The aftermath of these elections is marked by controversy, allegations, protests, and unfortunate incidents, underscoring the necessity of transparent and fair electoral practices for the preservation of democratic values.