LIVE UPDATES: Bayelsa, Kogi Governorship Elections – APC, PDP, Over 20 Other Parties Vie For Power

Sensitive materials displayed inside INEC office in Lokoja.

Residents of Bayelsa and Kogi states will today vote to determine who will govern the state for the next four years.

In Bayelsa, 45 candidates are in the governorship race, according to data from the Independent National Electoral Commission. Mr David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party are believed to be the top contenders in the race.

The race is expected to produce a successor to Governor Seriake Dickson who is in the final months of his second term.

In Kogi, a tight race is expected, involving 24 candidates. It is a heated race with Governor Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress seeking re-election, while the man he and his party ousted from power, Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, is a leading candidate to stop him and claim the second term he missed out on four years ago.

The build-up to the election has been dramatic and sometimes violent. Just on Thursday, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Natasha Akpoti, was attacked outside the venue of a meeting between stakeholders and the Inspector General of the Police and the INEC Chairman.

An added dimension to today’s election in Kogi is the Senatorial election rerun in Kogi West which pits old foes Dino Melaye of the PDP and Smart Adeyemi of the APC against each other once again. Melaye had ousted Adeyemi from the Senate as a member of the APC in 2015. At the time, Adeyemi was a member of the PDP.

Both men later switched camps with Melaye being declared winner of the February 23, 2019 election in the district, a declaration the court later nullified and called for fresh elections.

Ahead of the elections, President Muhammadu Buhari called for fairness and transparency and the IGP promised to ensure peace so the people can vote. Opposition party leaders, however, expressed fears about whether the votes would be peaceful and fair.

Channels TV reporters are on the ground to keep you updated about happenings in both states. Stay with us and keep refreshing this page for fresh updates.

8:24 AM: Suspected thugs said to have disrupted exercise in Omala LGA in Kogi State.

7:42 AM: Electoral officials and materials set to be deployed to various polling units following the arrival of security personnel in Ajayi Crowther Primary School in Lokoja A (Kogi State).

7:33 AM: Yenagoa: In the Bayelsa State capital, INEC officials are setting up polling units for voting.

Here are some photos below:

7:29 AM: The Ajayi Crowther Primary School in Lokoja A (Kogi State) has 27 polling units 100 voting points 49,374 registered voters.

There are only two security officers deployed there from Friday and the electoral officials are unable to deploy to the polling units due to the absence of security personnel to accompany them and the materials.

Ajobaje Abocho polling unit results
PDP :232
APC :32

Omedotun unit 2 ayingba
PDP 202
APC 3
Apga 1
Sdp 1

Update from Agala Ogane polling unit
A p c 16
P d p 93

Obeya Lile polling unit in Anyigba, from results collated so far.
PDP 543
APC is 20 # KOGIDECIDES

EMEWE OPADA POLLING UNIT 002

PDP:270
APC:40.

PU 001

SDP:13
PDP:206
APC:44
INVALID:19

Senator Dino Melaye’s Polling Unit

polling unit 007/ Aiyetoro ward 1
Governorship
PDP=207
APC=69
SENATE
PDP=221
APC=61