After President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023, five states have conducted gubernatorial elections with the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerging winner in four out of five states.
For those new to the election process in Nigeria, and who might be wondering why some states are having gubernatorial elections outside of the General election window that happened early 2023, this article explains the reasons behind the off-cycle polls conducted since May 2023.
What are off-cycle elections in Nigeria?
Off-cycle elections are held outside of the general election timetable. Every four years, Nigeria has Presidential, National Assembly, Gubernatorial and State House of Assemblies elections at the same time.
The last general election in 2023 saw the election of governors in most of the states in the country though not all states participated. This is owing to issues that arose during elections in several states, resulting in an off-cycle election. Among these states are Bayelsa, Kogi, Anambra, Imo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, and Ekiti.
What led to off-cycle elections in these states?
In 1999, Nigeria returned to Democracy, and elections were held simultaneously in all states of the federation. Several candidates who were dissatisfied with the outcome petitioned the court to reclaim their mandate.
The electoral petition tribunal requested the dismissal of several governors, and other states with challenged results held re-elections.
This is how eight Nigerian states became off-cycle electoral states.
Anambra state
In 2003, Anambra state established a precedent which altered the political narrative of the nation. Chris Ngige, a candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the state governorship election but Peter Obi, the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) petitioned the tribunal to challenge that decision.
After a two-year tribunal case at the Court of Appeal in Enugu, the previously announced result was canceled, and Peter Obi was sworn in as Governor in March 2006. What this means is that the newly sworn in Governor started a fresh 4 year term.
Since then, Anambra state has held subsequent gubernatorial elections in November 2013, November 2017, and November 2021, with the next election scheduled for 2025.
Bayelsa state
In 2007, Bayelsa state held its first off-cycle elections. Timipre Sylva of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared governor. Dissatisfied with the election’s outcome, Ebitimi Amgbare of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) challenged the election result before the tribunal, and he lost.
Losing at the tribunal, Ebitimi petitioned the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt to overturn the prior verdict. The judgment of the Appeal court prompted INEC to organize a new poll in the state in 2008. Sylva won and was declared elected in the newly held election, which disrupted the state’s election calendar.
The next gubernatorial election in the state is scheduled for 11 November, 2023.
Edo state
Up until 2007, Edo state held its gubernatorial elections along with other states. When Oserheimen Osunbor of the PDP was declared the winner of the governorship race on April 14, 2007, Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), who was dissatisfied with the verdict, filed a petition.
On March 20, 2008 the electoral tribunal overturned Oserheimen Osunbor’s victory and proclaimed Oshiomhole the winner.
Ekiti state
In April 2007, INEC declared Segun Oni the PDP candidate, winner of the Ekiti state governorship election. Kayode Fayemi, dissatisfied with the declaration by INEC, approached the tribunal to petition the election outcome.
After serving as governor for three years, Segun Oni’s victory was thrown out by the appeal court in October 2010, and a new election was mandated.
Kogi state
Kogi state held its gubernatorial election on April 14, 2007 and Ibrahim Idris a candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner. Abubakar Audu of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Idris’ main opponent, petitioned the Kogi state election tribunal to oppose the verdict, claiming his name had been improperly left off the list of candidates meant to run for office. He took the case all the way to the appeals court.
Although the election was nullified, calling for the conduct of a fresh election, Ibrahim Idris won the re-election as Kogi State’s governor on March 29, 2008. The next election is scheduled for 11 November, 2023.
Ondo state
The Ondo State case is similar to others where a candidate sued another following the outcome of the 2007 governorship election. The incumbent governor and PDP candidate, Olusegun Agagu, was re-elected. The then Labour Party candidate Olusegun Mimiko, however, filed a petition against the outcome of the election in court.
Olusegun Mimiko was declared the actual election winner when the tribunal and Court of Appeal accepted the results in 2009. In February 2009, he was sworn in as governor.
Osun state
Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP was proclaimed the winner of the Osun state gubernatorial election in 2007. Dissatisfied with the voting process and declaration, ACN candidate, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, contested the election outcome in court.
After three years of legal wrangling, the appellate court finally pronounced Rauf Aregesola the legitimately elected governor of Osun state in 2010.
Imo state
Imo state joined the “off-cycle” election trend in 2019 when Hope Uzodinma of the APC contested the result of Emeka Ihedioha, the PDP candidate.
The legal tussle moved from the election tribunal to the Supreme Court. Uzodimma was inaugurated as governor of the state on January 14, 2020, after the supreme court declared him winner. The state has never held an off-cycle election, but it is set to have its first one on November 11, 2023.
Elections conducted since Tinubu’s inauguration
On November 11, 2023, gubernatorial elections were held in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states.
Bayelsa state
16 political parties participated in the gubernatorial elections with 2 females and 14 males. Incumbent Diri Duoye (PDP), Eradiri Udengmobofa (LP), Timipre Sylva (APC), and Ogege Mercy (APP) (female), among the candidates.
PDP’s Diri was declared winner of the Bayelsa governorship election.
Diri won in six out of eight local government areas of the state, polling a total of 175,196 votes to defeat 15 other candidates including his closest rival, Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC.
Sylva came second, having won in two local government areas and polled a total of 110,108 votes.
The candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Udengs, came a distant third with 905 votes.
Kogi state
Kogi, on the other hand, had 18 candidates, 17 men, and 1 woman in the race to replace Yahaya Bello.
Among the candidates were Leke Abejide (ADC), Dino Melaye (PDP), Ahmed Ododo (APC), Idoko Ilona (APGA), and Suleiman Fatima (ZLP).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Ododo winner of the governorship election held on November 11, 2023 having scored a total vote of 446, 237.
The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Murtala Yakubu came second scoring 259, 052 voted while Senator Dino Melaye of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) came third by scoring 46,362 votes
Imo state
17 political parties were on the ballot for the governorship election.
With candidates including Odunzeh Ben (NNPP), Achonu Nneji (LP) (PWD), Anyanwu Samuel (PDP), and Hope Uzodinma (APC) vying for the seat.
Uzodimma, a former Senator for Orlu (Imo West) and the incumbent governor of the state since 2020 was declared winner of the 2019 governorship poll.
INEC declared that Uzodinma won all the 27 local government areas in the state 540, 308 votes.
While the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Samuel Anyanwu, got a total of 71,503 votes across the state according to the results announced by the electoral umpire to come in a distant second, the Labour Party candidate, Athan Achonu, garnered a total of 64,081 votes.
Edo state
The first off-cycle polls in 2024, featured 17 candidates, consisting of 16 males and one female.
The election featured the likes of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the APC, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP, Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party, and Tom Iseghohi of Action Alliance.
At the end of collation, INEC announced Monday Okpebholo as the winner of election after winning 11 out of the 18 LGAs of the state.
Okpebholo won with 291,667 votes, while Ighodalo came second with a total of 247,274 votes, with Akpata polling 22,763 votes to come third.
Ondo state
17 candidates were on the ballot for the government house seat of the Sunshine state.
Major candidates include APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa, PDP’s Agboola Ajayi, Olorunfemi Ayodele of the Labour Party, Akingboye Bamidele of the SDP and Abbas Mimiko of ZLP.
At the end of collation, the Returning Officer for the election, Olayemi Akinwumi declared Aiyedatiwa winner of the November 1, 2024 election.
According to INEC, Aiyedatiwa polled 366,781 votes to defeat his closest rival and a former deputy governor of the state, Ajayi Agboola who scored 117,845 votes.
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