Diri, Anyanwu Emerge PDP Guber Candidates for Bayelsa, Imo

•Kogi PDP primary holds April 15

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Bayelsa State governor, Douye Diri, and the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, have emerged the PDP governorship candidate for the November 11 Bayelsa and Imo States governorship elections.

This followed the PDP primaries held yesterday in Yenogoa state secretariat and in Imo State along the Okigwe Road in Owerri, the Imo State capital, THISDAY gathered.

This is part of the off-cycle governorship elections expected to hold in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States on November 11, 2023.

According to the State Organising Secretary of the PDP, Lawrence Biado, the seven-man electoral panel constituted by the National Working Committee headed by Kenneth Okon,was present to monitor the primary in Imo.

A former governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha, was conspicuously absent after he pulled out of the PDP governorship race, weeks ago.

Anyanwu is expected to challenge the re-election of Governor Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In January 2020, the Supreme Court sacked Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State after barely seven months in office.

In Yenogoa, however, Diri, who was the only governorship candidate, polled 305 votes to clinch the ticket

The election was conducted by the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, whodeclared Diri as the consensus candidate.

The Kogi state governorship primary is slated for this Saturday, April 15.

Over nine governorship aspirants including Senator Dino Melaye were contesting to become the standard bearer of the party in the election slated for November 11 2023.