BREAKING: Imo,  Kogi, Bayelsa Governorship Elections Hold November 11, 2023

By Adesina Soyooye

Three off-season Governorship Elections will hold on November 11, 2023.

The Elections are those of Imo, Kogi and Bayelsa States.

While the Governors of  Imo, Senator Hope Uzodinma and that of Bayelsa, Senator Duoye Diri will be seeking a second term in office, that of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, will seek to install a successor having served two-terms in office.

The first tenure of Uzodinma will end on 14th January, 2024 while that of Bayelsa will end on February on 13th February 2024. Yahaya will leave office on January 24, 2024.

A Press Release issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to the effect, signed by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, dated Tuesday, October 25, reads:

“At its weekly meeting held today, Tuesday, 25th October, 2022, the Commission approved the Time Table and schedule of activities for the Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States’ Governorship Elections.

“This decision is in fulfillment of the requirements of Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 which mandates the Commission to publish the notice of Elections not later than 360 days before the date fixed for tye elections. Similarly, Sections 178 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, mandates tye Commission to conduct such elections not earlier than 150 days, and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of the last holder of the office.

“The tenure of the incumbent Governor of Imo State ends on 14 January 2024, while those of Kogi and Bayelsa States ends on 26 January 2024 and 13 February 2024 respectively.

“Accordingly, the Commission has decided to  conduct the three elections on Saturday 11th November, 2023.

“The Statutory Notice for the elections will be published in the three States on 14th November, 2022. Party Primaries will be held from 27th March to 17th April 2023, while the online portal  for the submission of  nomination forms (EC9 and EC9B) by political parties opens at 9.00am on 24th April 2023, and closes at 6.00pm on 5th May, 2023. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June, 2023, while Campaign  by political parties commences on 14th June 2023, and ends at midnight  on 6th November 2023.

“The full Timetable and Schedule of Activities  has been uploaded to the Commission’s  website and social media platforms.”

The story of Imo and Bayelsa is the same, almost. While the Supreme Court removed PDP’s The Rt Honourable Emeka Ihedioha for APC’s Senator Hope Uzodinma after Ihedioha’s seven months in office, the winner of the Bayelsa election, as declared by INEC, APC’s David Lyon, was removed 24 hours to his swearing-in ceremony by the Supreme Court, in favour of PDP’s Diri Duoye.