The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed dates for the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.The commission said in Abuja on Friday that governorship election would hold in Kogi State on November 21 while that of Bayelsa State would hold on December 5, 2015.
This was contained in a statement signed by the INEC’s Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Dr. Chris Iyimoga.
Iyimoga added that primaries for the elections in the two states would be held on or before August 23, 2015 and September 5, 2015 respectively in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2014 as amended.
According to the commission, campaigns by political parties will commence on July 24 and ends on November 29 in Kogi State while that of Bayelsa will begin on September 6 and ends on December 4, 2015.
Governorship elections did not hold in the two states during the last general elections because the tenures of their governors have yet to end.
The two states are under the control of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
However, while Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State is battling with the All Progressives Congress, which has made serious incursion into the state, Governor Seriake Dickson on the other hand, is facing internal rebellion within his party.
The APC had upper hand in Kogi State during the last general elections.
Meanwhile, there are also rumours that Wada may be denied his party’s ticket for re-election as a result of what a member of the National Working Committee of the PDP attributed to the governor’s “poor performance.”
“The information we are getting is that Wada is not doing well and that if we field him, we may lose the state,” the source said.
Indication that Wada may be edged out of the race have also been manifesting with happenings at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.
