Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
After President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023, five states have conducted gubernatorial elections.
Reports disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged as the winner in four out of five states so far.
Some states are holding gubernatorial elections outside of the general election conducted since 2023.
Nigeria will hold general elections on Saturday, February 25, 2023, for presidential and National Assembly elections.
Off-cycle elections are held outside of the general election timetable. Every four years, Nigeria has presidential, National Assembly, gubernatorial and state house of assemblies elections at the same time.
The last general election was held in February 25, 2023 and some governors were elected into office, not all the states participated in the poll,
This is due to some issues that arose during elections in several states, resulting in an off-cycle election. Among these states are Bayelsa, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, and Ekiti.
What led to off-cycle elections in these states?
In 1999, Nigeria returned to Democracy, and elections were held simultaneously in all states of the federation. Several candidates who were dissatisfied with the outcome petitioned the court to reclaim their mandate.
The electoral petition tribunal requested the dismissal of several governors, and other states with challenged results held re-elections.
This is how the eight Nigerian states became off-cycle electoral states.
List of elections conducted since Tinubu’s inauguration
On November 11, 2023, gubernatorial elections were held in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states and in 2024, elections were held in Edo ad Ondo states.
Bayelsa state
16 political parties participated in the gubernatorial elections with 2 females and 14 males. Incumbent Diri Duoye (PDP), Eradiri Udengmobofa (LP), Timipre Sylva (APC), and Ogege Mercy (APP) (female), among the candidates.
PDP’s Diri was declared winner of the Bayelsa governorship election.
Diri won in six out of eight local government areas of the state, polling a total of 175,196 votes to defeat 15 other candidates including his closest rival, Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC.
Sylva came second, having won in two local government areas and polled a total of 110,108 votes.
The candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Udengs, came a distant third with 905 votes.
Kogi state
Kogi, on the other hand, had 18 candidates, 17 men, and 1 woman in the race to replace Yahaya Bello.
Among the candidates were Leke Abejide (ADC), Dino Melaye (PDP), Ahmed Ododo (APC), Idoko Ilona (APGA), and Suleiman Fatima (ZLP).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ododo winner of the governorship election held on November 11, 2023 having scored a total vote of 446, 237.
The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Murtala Yakubu came second scoring 259, 052 voted while Senator Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came third by scoring 46,362 votes
Imo state
17 political parties were on the ballot for the governorship election.
With candidates including Odunzeh Ben (NNPP), Achonu Nneji (LP) (PWD), Anyanwu Samuel (PDP), and Hope Uzodinma (APC) vying for the seat.
Uzodimma, a former Senator for Orlu (Imo West) and the incumbent governor of the state since 2020 was declared winner of the 2019 governorship poll.
INEC declared that Uzodinma won all the 27 local government areas in the state 540, 308 votes.
While the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Samuel Anyanwu, got a total of 71,503 votes across the state according to the results announced by the electoral umpire to come in a distant second, the Labour Party candidate, Athan Achonu, garnered a total of 64,081 votes.
Edo state
The first off-cycle polls in 2024, featured 17 candidates, consisting of 16 males and one female.
The election featured the likes of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and Tom Iseghohi of Action Alliance.
At the end of collation, INEC announced Monday Okpebholo as the winner of election after winning 11 out of the 18 LGAs of the state.
Okpebholo won with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo came second with a total of 247,274 votes, with Akpata polling 22,763 votes to come third.
Ondo state
17 candidates were on the ballot for the government house seat of the Sunshine state.
Major candidates include APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa, PDP’s Agboola Ajayi, Olorunfemi Ayodele of the Labour Party, Akingboye Bamidele of the SDP and Abbas Mimiko of ZLP.
At the end of collation, the Returning Officer for the election, Olayemi Akinwumi declared Aiyedatiwa winner of the November 1, 2024 election.
According to INEC, Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state, Ajayi Agboola who scored 117,845 votes.
Ondo 2024: Ganduje vows APC will capture Oyo, Osun states
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that APC national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had identified Oyo and Osun states as the party’s next target.
Ganduje spoke in reaction to the election victory of Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state.
Describing the governor as a sellable product, Ganduje appreciated President Tinubu for his support.
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Source: Legit.ng