THERE is heavy presence of security operatives at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The electoral body conducted governorship election in the North-Central state on November 11, 2023. Similar poll was also held on Saturday in Imo and Bayelsa states.
Already, the exercise has been concluded in Imo with the incumbent governor, Hope Uzodimma of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) declared the winner of the election.
In Kogi, however, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, was physically present at the state headquarters of the commission in Lokoja on Sunday morning.
The collation is scheduled to begin by 10 am on Sunday. However, at the time of filing this report on 10:40, the exercise was yet to commence.
Meanwhile, the results from 12 local government areas out of 21 local government areas in the state are said to have arrived.
In Kogi, the total number of registered voters is 1,932,654 and PVCs collected is 1,833,160 with youths taking a lump 44% (850k) and the middle-aged having 32% (341K).
Some of the top contenders in the November 11, 2023 poll in Kogi include Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); Leke Abejide of the African Democratic Party (ADC); Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Usman Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is an ex-Auditor General of Local Government in Kogi under Governor Yahaya Bello, who is nearing completion of his double terms of eight years in office.
