Soldiers, police lock Kogi as voters trickle out to vote

The election in Kogi is currently underway with security officials positioned at strategic points across the state.

Voting commenced at 8:30 am in many polling units in the state amid fear of violence which characterized the campaigns.

The Kogi election is the most difficult to predict among the three states having off-circle elections. The other states also having off-circle elections include; Imo and Bayelsa.

Although 18, the three major candidates in the Kogi election are; Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ajaka had claimed there were 30 assasination attempts targeted at him. He blamed the state governor, Yahaya Bello, for the attacks. But the governor denied the charge, alleging  the SDP candidate was the one employing violence.

The violent campaigns have necessitated the deployment of heavy presence of security officials, including soldiers and mobile policemen to tame trouble makers .