ALL EYES ON NOVEMBER II

If incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma does not get re-elected, he will cease to be the governor of Imo state on 14^th of January 2024. Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State will no longer be governor after the 13^th of February 2024 if he is not also re-elected as governor of the oil rich Bayelsa. As for Kogi, Governor Yahaya Bello is not eligible for re-election, having completed two terms. He must vacate Lugard house on the 26^th of January. That is when his second term ends. A brand new Governor will take the Baton from there. Who will this be?

The independent national electoral commission INEC, says the three off-cycle governorship elections in Beyelsa, Imo and Kogi will hold on the same day, 11^th November 2023. The stage appears set already. All the 18 political parties have nominated candidates for the Kogi governorship election, while 17 parties nominated candidate for Imo State and 16 nominated for Bayelsa. The parties have gone ahead to submit the duly completed form EC9 containing personal particulars supported by sworn affidavits as well as form EC9B containing the names of their candidates.

Only two political parties are fielding female candidates in Beyelsa, one in Kogi and none in Imo. Looks like all political in Imo State don’t want women in high office. In line with section 94 (1) of the electoral act campaigns in the public space has since flagged off, and is expected to end about 48hrs to election day, on the 9^th of November 2023.

A look at the list of candidates in the three states shows that APGA’s Subiri Joseph at age 66 and contesting in Beyelsa, appears to be the oldest of all the governorship candidates in the race while Iwuayanwu Isaac of BP Imo, Onaji Frank of APP Kogi, Musa Mubarak of NNPP Kogi, and Ogege Mercy of APP Beyelsa have all entered the race as the youngest candidates at age 35. Interestingly, Kogi’s Onaji Frank was born in the same year with his running mate Kekere Rahanatu. They are both 35. As for academics, only one PHD holder is in the race, while the least qualified entrant at least in terms of paper qualifications came with the secondary school certificate and WAEC result.

As we prepare for the off-cycle elections on November 11, it can be seen that virtually all the parties in the race have had, and are still having their troubles in various shapes and sizes.

We have to get these elections right. The independent national electoral commission is called upon to ensure that the ongoing logistics challenges that put a dent on the credibility of the 2023 general elections are not repeated in these elections in November. We are talking of only three states now, and not the entire country. Innovative reforms such as the BVAS if managed properly, will help to strengthen the credibility, transparency and integrity of the forthcoming elections.

POLITICSNOW will cover the elections. We will be Kogi, We will be in Imo and we will be in Bayelsa to bring you reports round the clock. This is a promise.