In what many believe is another litmus test for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday’s governorship election in Kogi state saw the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prince Abubakar Audu taking an early lead in the results so far received from some of the polling centres across the state.
In all, ACN polled 11,557 votes as against the 10,395 votes polled by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Capt. Idris Wada.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) polled 265 votes, African Democratic Party (ADP), 265 votes and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), 5 votes.
The ACN also won in most of the polling units in the Lokoja metropolis.? At the Felele polling unit, ACN polled 179 votes as against PDP’s 77 votes.
In?? Yaragi polling unit? ACN got 144, while PDP polled 122, CPC 2, ANPP 0, CPC 2. In Madabo, ACN got 172 PDP, scored 120, CPC got 2, ANPP 2. In Anguwan Rimi, ACN? 105, PDP 154, CPC 2, ANPP 0.
Inuwan -Idagana? ACN scored 1O4,? PDP had 147, ACN got 214. At Anguwan Kura, ACN, 214;? PDP, 120.
Inuwan Lange polling booth however, PDP polled 196 votes as against 119 for ACN.
Further results also indicated that ACN got 172, in Amole Open Space, PDP 68, CPC 6, ANPP 1. In Karaworo Open Space, CAN got 119, as against PDP’s 133, CPC 3, ANPP 4. In
Anguwan Power, ACN 127, PDP 144, CPC 0 and ANPP 4. Also in Karaworo South, ACN 146, PDP 134, CPC 4, and ANPP 6.
The election was generally peaceful, say our correspondents.
Accreditation of voters started between 9:00am and 10:00am in many polling units. At 5:00pm, voting was still going on in some polling booths where accreditations didn’t take place on time.
The state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris told journalists that his candidate will win. He hinged his optimism on the acclaimed popularity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the structure he has put in place in the last eight years. Idris was speaking shortly after voting in Sabon Gari polling unit in Abejukolo Ward of Omala Local Government Area.
The candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, at press time similarly boasted that he would win the contest.
The PDP governorship candidate, Captain Idris Wada voted in Ogboyaga in Odu Ward 1, Dekina Local Government while his ACN counterpart, Prince Abubakar Audu cast his vote in Ogbonicha Ward? in Ofu Local Government. Chief James Ocholi, Congress for Progressive Change ( CPC ) candidate voted in Ogbabede Ward in Dekina Local Government just as the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate, Chief Ubolo Okpanachi did same in Ofakaga, Ofu Local Government Area.
There was large turn-out of people in all the polling units visited by LEADERSHIP SUNDAY where all the major candidates who spoke to our correspondents, said they defied the scorching sun to go to the polling stations to elect their next governor.?
There were however, few polling units where voting did not either take place or was distrupted. A polling unit in Anyigba, headquarters of Dekina Local Government was one of them. Midway into voting, armed thugs brandishing charms and other dangerous weapons like machetes stormed the polling unit and snatched ballot boxes.
In Ofu, a corps member deployed to the riverine part of the area was held hostage by thugs for hours. It took the intervention of the Police for her to be rescued. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ajayi Okansanmi confirmed the Ofu incidence. There were also reports of violence in parts of Kogi Central, especially Okene.
But Wada denied the claim. He said the reports filed in by his field workers suggested that the exercise was free and fair: ‘‘In my polling unit it has been orderly, it has been peaceful and I see a lot of enthusiasm and a large turn out of people who have patiently waited, accredited and are now voting. I have performed my civic duty of accreditation and voting”.
On the reported ballot box snatching, Wada noted that: ‘‘There are just pockets of complaints in Anyigba area and this is all I know. I can not say more than this for now.’’
Wada’s running mate thanked the people of Kogi for conducting themselves in? an orderly manner.
Audu however, lambasted the government of Governor Ibrahim Idris for under-developing the state, but expressed confidence that he would win the polls. ‘‘Kogi people today turned out en masse to express their displeasure against nine years of inept government in the state. The state has been sleeping and the present government has not added anything to infrastructural development since I left office in 2003. I believe the people will today keep a date with history by rejecting them; by throwing them out of Lugard House with their votes. The people have suffered enough.’’???