GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS: LIVE UPDATE

Today, Saturday, March 18, 2023, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are held around the country.

The governorship election will be held in 28 states across the country, with only a few incumbent governors seeking re-election and the majority of the states electing new chief executives.

In Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is running for reelection on the All Progressives Congress, APC platform, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has selected Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran as their candidate, who will face Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party.

The PDP and APC have the most candidates for Saturday's election, but they will have to work harder to win in several states where the Labour Party has candidates.

In Akwa Ibom, Akan Udofia is the APC candidate and other states are: Abia - Ikechi Emenike, Adamawa - Aishatu Dairu Binani, Bauchi - Sadique Abubakar, Kaduna - Uba Sani, Gombe - Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, Delta - Ovie Omo-Agege, Borno - Babagana Zulum, Cross River - Bassey Otu, Jigawa - Umar Namadi, Kano - Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Ebonyi - Ogbonna Nwifuru, Enugu - Uche Nnaji, Katsina - Dikko Umaru Radda, Kebbi - Nasiru Idris, Kwara -AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Ogun - Dapo Abiodun, Nasarawa - Abdullahi Sule, Plateau - Netanwe Yilwatda, Rivers - Tonye Cole, Yobe -Mala Buni, Zamfara - Muhammad Bello, and Oyo - Teslim Folarin.

The PDP candidates across the country are Okechukwu Ahiwe - Abia., Umaru Fintiri - Adamawa., Umo Bassey- Akwa Ibom., Ibrahim Mohammed - Bauchi., Titus Uba - Benue, Mohammed Ali Jafari - Borno, Sheriff Oborevwori - Delta, Peter Mbah - Enugu, Muhammad Barde - Gombe, Mustapha Sule-Lamido - Jigawa, Isa Ashiru Kudan - Kaduna, Muhammed Abacha - Kano., Aminu Bande - Kebbi.,Abdullah Yahman - Kwara, Abdul-Azeez Adediran - Lagos. David Ombugadu Nassarawa, Segun Sowunmi - Ogun, Seyi Makinde - Oyo, Caleb Mutfwang - Plateau, Siminialayi Fubara - Rivers, Sa'adu Umar - Sokoto.

Kefas Agbu - Taraba, Sheriff Abdullahi Yobe, Dauda Lawal - Zamfara.

The Labour Party gave the more established political parties a run for their money in the February 25 presidential election and there is the general feeling that the Peter Obi factor may sweep across the country once more today.

Follow this thread for updates, results from the governorship election in the 28 states.

Lagos guber: LP's Rhodes-Vivour, wife arrive polling unit [VIDEO]

Video Credit: Pulse

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has arrived at his polling unit 045, Oshifila/Abule Igbira in Anifowose, Ikeja.

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has arrived at his polling unit 045, Oshifila/Abule Igbira in Anifowose, Ikeja.

Lagos governorship election: Tinubu votes

Bola Tinubu, the President-elect, voted in the ongoing governorship election on Saturday.

Tinubu exercised his civic duty at his polling station in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is seeking reelection for a second term.

Sanwo-Olu is an All Progressives Congress (APC) member.

The incumbent governor is up for re-election against Labour Party candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and Peoples Democratic Party candidate Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, commonly known as Jandor...

In the February 25 election, Tinubu lost Lagos State to the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Guber/Assembly poll: Low turnout as voters shun election in Anambra

Notwithstanding the massive attendance at polling stations for the Presidential election three weeks ago, Anambra State today has an appalling voter participation.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, personnel sat lazily in polling stations visited in Awka, the state capital.

Despite the start of voting at 8:30 a.m. and the speed of the BVAS machines, only six people were able to vote at Aroma junction 1, polling unit 008, Awka South Local Government Area, at 9:20 a.m.

A voter, Mrs Chika Ndu informed our correspondent that: "People are not coming out because they feel their votes may not count because of what happened last three weeks.

"It will take a level of enlightenment for people to accept to come out, because they believe their votes will not count.

"I cannot believe that this same place where I found it difficult to cast my vote last three weeks, I can just come in and in less than three minutes, I had cast my vote."

Another respondent, a journalist, Mr Damian Egwuonwu said: "I think it is early, people will still come out."

Guber election: Jigawa people observe movement restrictions as accreditation begins

Residents of Jigawa State have complied with the Nigerian Police Force's (NPF) mobility restriction order for the gubernatorial and state Assembly elections.

No vehicles were moving and shops were closed as early as 7:30 a.m. in Dutse, the state capital.

People were seen making their way to their respective polling places to exercise their constitutional rights.

The Jigawa State Police Command yesterday ordered a restriction on all forms of vehicular movement except those on essential services, such as INEC officials, election observers, ambulances to medical emergencies, and firefighters, from Friday, March 17th, 2023 at midnight to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 18th, 2023, and anyone found wanting will be dealt with harshly.

He nevertheless cautioned political parties and their adherents to shun political thuggery, the use of weapons, and taking signs of any party to the voting booths.

He stated that sister security agencies around the state will work tirelessly to apprehend the troublemakers and their sponsors, conduct thorough investigations, and charge the perpetrators in court, where they will face the full force of the law.

MON DIARIES observed certain polling places and noticed that election materials arrived as early as 7:30 a.m.

Voting ongoing peacefully in Wukari council of Taraba

The CP also advised all security aides and escorts to refrain from accompanying their principals and politicians to voting units and collation centers during the election, warning that anyone found flouting these directions will face harsh punishment

Voting on-going in Anambra.

Voting for the House of Assembly elections in Anambra State has begun.

According to MON DIARIES, voting in Awka, the state capital, began as early as 8:30 a.m.

Mrs Elizabeth Agwu, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, stated at a press conference on Friday that the commission was ready and that voting will begin soon.

Observations also revealed that the BVAS was quite quick in capturing voters.

INEC begins accreditation and polling in PU 007 Ward 1 Ijebu North LGA Ogun.

INEC says its workers at Polling Unit 007, Ward 1 in Ijebu North Local Government Area, Ogun State, are ready for accreditation and voting.

INEC announced this on Saturday via their official Twitter account.

The commission indicated that its employees would be ready for accreditation and voting at the polling unit at 7:30 a.m.

Observations also revealed that the BVAS was quite quick in capturing voters.

"Polling Unit 007, Ward 1 in Ijebu North Local Government Area, Ogun State, fully activated and ready for accreditation and voting at 7.30 am today", INEC posted.

There are 28 governorship and state house of assembly elections taking place across the country.

Guber election: Voting begins in Ogun

Polling in Ogun State has begun for today's governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Across numerous polling units visited by our correspondent in the State's Ipokia Local Government Area, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived as early as feasible.

Voters queued for accreditation just after 8 a.m., which occurred concurrently with voting.

At the time, the exercise is running smoothly.