Governor Hope Uzodimma says his victory at the 11th of November, 2023 governorship poll in Imo state has finally vindicated the Supreme court's verdict that declared as a true winner of the March, 2019 and Emeka Ihedioha’s victory.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in the state.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Abayomi Fashina, who was the state Returning Officer declared Uzodimma re-elected on Sunday morning at about 10 am after over eight hours of collation of local government results.
Uzodimma won by a landslide result of
540, 308 votes to defeat his closest rivals PDP’s Samuel Anyanwu who polled 71,503 votes and that of Labour Party (LP)’s Nneji Achonu who scored
64,081 votes to second and third positions respectively alongside Jack Ogunewe of the Action Alliance (AA), 14 other opponents.
Governor Uzodinma according to the results announced by INEC on Sunday won in all the 27 local government areas of the South-East state.
Uzodinma reacting to his victory during a Thanksgiving service in Church on Sunday in Owerri, said the latest victory shows he actually won the Imo governorship election back in 2019 but was cheated until the Supreme Court came to the rescue.
"This victory is very dear to me because it is vindication that the same God who did it before will do it again", he stated
“My good people of Imo State, I am humbled and honored by your overwhelming support in yesterday’s election,” he added.
“Your trust in me to continue leading our dear State is both inspiring and deeply appreciated. Together, we have achieved a resounding victory and I am committed to delivering on the promises made during our campaign.”
Similarly in Kogi State, another All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Usman Ododo was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission in a keenly-contested governorship poll in the state held same day November 11, 2023
The State Returning Officer, Prof Johnson Urama, who is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, announced Ododo as the winner at 10:23pm on Sunday.
Ahmed Usman Ododo of APC, having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Urama declared in a room crowded with party agents and election observers.
Ododo won with 446,237 votes, defeating his closest rival, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who scored 259,052, while Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 46,362 votes.
Results from the 21 local government areas (LGAs) in the state were collated late Sunday with the APC candidate sweeping over half of the LGAs.
Ododo, an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello, was the anointed candidate of the governor who is ending his double terms of eight years.
Melaye of PDP and some civil rights groups had earlier on Saturday, raised the alarm over “filled result sheets” in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the North Central state.
The PDP candidate also called for the suspension of the exercise over violence and vote buying. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently suspended election in nine wards in the local government area.
Late Sunday, INEC said fresh polls will be conducted in 59 polling units in the Ogori/Magongo Local Government Area of the state on November 18, 2023.
INEC, however, introduced a condition for the polls to be held in the 59 polling units, saying that “the decision to hold fresh elections is subject to the Returning Officer’s determination of the application of the Margin of Lead Principle”.
In his declaration late Sunday, Urama said the total number of Permanent Voter Cards in the affected polling units was put at 16,247, one that was insignificant to the about 200,000 votes gathered by the APC candidate ahead of his closest rival – Ajaka.
The margin of lead implied that the elections initially scheduled by INEC for next Saturday in the 59 polling units would no longer be held.
Reacting to the outcome of the election,
both Ajaka and Melaye rejected the results , expressing disappointment in INEC and security agencies which they accused of collusion with the ruling APC in Kogi.
Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday night, adjourned the collation of results in the November 11, 2023, Bayelsa State Governorship Election till this Monday noon.
Results from six of the eight local government areas in the state namely Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ogbia, Yenegoa, Sagbama, Nembe and Ekeremor have been collated.
The remaining local government areas are Brass and Southern Ijaw.
Prof Faruq Kuta, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Of Technology, Minna, and the state Returning Officer for the election in Bayelsa adjourned the exercise on Sunday night.
Sixteen political parties sponsored candidates for the election in Bayelsa.
Governor Duoye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s main opponent is a former Minister of State For Petroleum Resources and an ex-governor of the state, Timipre Sylva.
Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the poll, was first Bayelsa governor from May 2007 to April 2008 and later between May 2008 and January 2012.
Like Bayelsa, governorship polls were held in Imo and Kogi states on Saturday.
Governor Diri is leading, according to the results announced so far by the electoral agency
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