LIVE UPDATE: Kogi, Bayelsa, Imo States Governorship Elections

The off-cycle 2023 governorship elections holding in Bayelsa State, Kogi State, and Imo State commence today.

Naija News reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and other political parties are all battling it out to gain control of the states.

Political heavyweights like Senator Dino Melaye, Athan Achonu, Governor Hope Uzodimma, Governor Duoye Diri, Usman Ododo, Tony Ejiogu, Senator Sam Anyanwu, Senator Timipre Sylva, amongst others, are hoping to emerge victorious today.

Stick with Naija News as we bring real-time updates to you.

Imo: Security operatives in Imo, on Saturday, foiled an attempt by alleged political thugs to abduct INEC officials and cart away election materials.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened at a Registration Area Center in Amaimo, Ikeduru Local Government Area.

Bayelsa: Timipre Sylva, APC candidate, along with his wife, cast his ballots at Polling Unit 4, Dukuraku Central Open Space, Okpoama, Ward 4, Brass Local Government

Kogi: INEC Investigating Fake Results In Kogi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is investigating the fake results in circulation in Kogi State.

A civil society organisation, YIAGA Africa, had raised the alarm over the discovery of election results from Polling Unit 004, Eni Ward of Ogori/Mangogo area of the state

Imo: Gunshots at Amaimo Central School as electorates raise alarm over alleged highjack of election materials and INEC officials in Ikeduru Local Government Area.

10:29: Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, votes at Kalamaowei-Wari Unit 4 Ward 6 Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA

10:25:  Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience have arrived at Polling Unit 39, Ward 13 in Otuoke, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State

10: 08: Yahaya Bello and Wife have voted at Agasahache Polling Unit 011 in Okene Local Government of the state.

Imo: Elections materials arrive late.

Electoral materials arrived late at Oji Town Primary School in Owerri North local government councils.

The materials arrived at about 9.05am.

The primary school has about three polling units – Polling Unit 005, Polling Unit 006 and Polling Unit 007.

KOGI: Muri Ajaka, SDP Guber Candidate, casts his ballot

Kogi: Gov Bello arrived at his polling unit to vote at 9.17am.

Bayelsea: Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa has cast his ballot. He is the PDP candidate in the election

Bayelsa: Sensitive materials have been distributed to the polling units in the Oyakiri One RAC centre in Aleibiri ward 2.

Kogi: Voting is on hold due to the absence of party agents. Only APC’s party agent is present at Ava open field Constituency 22 in Lokoja with 515 registered voters

9:00 am: Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri, has voted at his polling unit.

Naija News understands that the incumbent governor arrived at the polling unit a few minutes before 9 a.m. and immediately went through the voting process.

8:30: Voting has commenced in Ward 6 unit 16 Amarata, Yanagoa

8: 20: Armoured Personal Carrier on duty at Adankolo -Lokoja, an area notorious for violence.

For refusing the command of thugs to leave the voting line, a young man was killed at a polling unit at Adankolo-Lokoja in 2019. The deceased had insisted to vote for the candidate of his choice when the hoodlums gunned him down

8:13: There is heavy deployment of security personnel across places where election will hold.

Hundreds of thousands of voters filed out even before polling stations opened across these three states on Saturday morning.

Bayelsa: Unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Supervising Presiding Officer (SPO) assigned to registration area 06 in Ossioma, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State

The INEC official, whose identity was not known, was abducted at Amassoma Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state while waiting to board a boat at a jetty in the area.