As the results trickle in from the state governorship elections just concluded in three Nigerian states, reports suggest that the electoral process witnessed serious irregularities. According to some observers, the instances of violence and other serious violations were widespread and caused many to stay away from the polls.
The country’s election umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has already announced the cancellation of elections in several polling centres in one of the states as a result of violence. No decision has been taken on what would happen in the areas where voting was suspended.
In these elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seeks to hold on to power in Nigeria’s north-central state of Kogi, and in the south-eastern state of Imo, while the country’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fights to retain power in Bayelsa State in the oil-rich Niger-Delta region.
In Imo and Bayelsa, the incumbents are seeking re-election, while Kogi State is set to elect a new governor.
In Kogi, early results indicate that the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) is giving the ruling APC a tough race. In the lead-up to the polls, the SDP candidate, Murtala Ajaka, had been picked by watchers as a strong contender who could unseat the ruling APC in the state. With the result already uploaded by INEC on its Election Viewing Portal (IREV), Ajaka has emerged as a strong contender in the race.
The candidate of the PDP, Dino Melaye, reportedly pulled out of the race, alleging that the results from the polling centres in several administrative areas in the state were compromised.
In Imo state, the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodimma, under the APC, has been declared winner, even as some opposition candidates have protested against the heavy-handedness of security operatives who they accused of complicity in electoral violations.
The two main opposition parties in the state, Labour Party (LP) and the PDP have called for cancellation of the results of the elections. Both parties raised serious concerns over irregularities, casting doubt on the credibility of the electoral process. A member of the LP who disrupted announcement of the results by INEC was beaten and thrown out of the collation centre.
In Bayelsa state, where the country’s former president, Goodluck Jonathan, hails from, reports say violence and poll disruptions were also recorded. Both the state’s incumbent PDP government and its main rival, the APC, have traded blames over widespread violence in several polling centres across the state.
Supporters of both parties accused each other of serious violations. Early results, however, show the incumbent governor Duoye Diri leading at the polls.
Even with the results showing a possible win for the governor, his party supporters staged a protest at the INEC office in the state capital, Yenagoa, demanding that the results from the rival APC candidate’s administrative district of Brass be cancelled, alleging serious violations.
These elections are coming up separately from the normal election cycle in the country. This is the result of the annulment of previous elections and the need to meet constitutional guidelines on term limits for political office. Former President Jonathan has called for an end to these off-cycle elections in Nigeria, saying they do not conform with global best practices.
It is uncertain if any major upsets will be recorded in these elections, but many believe that the events illustrate an urgent need for further reviews of the country’s electoral laws to curtail a level of violence that has become too consistent to give any real credibility to the country’s electoral processes.
