Regional elections in Nigeria: the ruling party wins

Regional elections in Nigeria

first of all, The ruling party’s candidate in Nigeria won the regional election in Bayelsa (southern) oil state on Monday.

The election commission said, a result that reinforces the growing influence of President Muhammadu Buhari in this bastion of the opposition.

Bayelsa is a stronghold of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) of former head of state Goodluck Jonathan, the main opposition party.

David Lyon, 49, candidate of the Congress of Progressives (APC), won 352,552 votes, beating his main competitor Douye Diri (PDP)

who collected 143,172, said the National Electoral Commission (Inec) in Yenagoa, the capital of the State.

The poll, which was also held in Kogi State (center), where the results are not yet known, was marked by numerous incidents. Including killings, kidnappings and the theft of voting equipment.

because , Regional elections are fiercely contested in Nigeria, where governors are powerful and influential personalities. Controlling their state finances and key areas, ranging from education to health to infrastructure.

As a result , Their actions often have more direct impact on the population than those of the central government.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with 190 million inhabitants, has a long history of election violence and fraud, such as vote buying, voter intimidation, and the theft of ballots.

President Buhari congratulated the new governor of Bayelsa State in a statement on Monday, lamenting the incidents.

« Violence during the elections weakens our commitment to show the world and the next generatio. Tthat we are a people that can elect its leaders in a peaceful and orderly manner, » he said.

above all, Former military leader Muhammadu Buhari was re-elected in February for a second four-year term.