How di govnorship and state House of Assembly elections happun across Nigeria

Sorting and voting start for many polling units as early as 3pm for some parts of di kontri.

Live Coverage

Helen Oyibo and Victor Ezeama

  1. Voters use stones, mortar, slippers take hold space for Adamawa

      • Author, Mansur Abubakar
      • Role, BBC Pidgin, Kano

    As voters dey wait for election to start for some of di polling units for Girei inside Adamawa state, dem use stones, wooden and plastic chairs to hold place.

    See di fotos below.

    Stones and chairs pipo take keep space
    Stones and chairs pipo take keep space
    Stones and chairs pipo take keep space
  2. Voting don start for parts of Lagos

    Voting don start for Govnor Sanwo-Olu polling Unit
    Wetin we call dis foto, Voting in progress for Ward E3 PU006 wia govnor Sanwo-Olu go vote

    Early voters don begin cast dia ballot for some parts of Lagos.

    One of di places be Ward E3 PU006 wia Govnor Sanwo-Olu go vote.

    Woman show her finger wit ink
    Wetin we call dis foto, Woman show her finger wit ink
    Voter dey cast im ballot
    Wetin we call dis foto, Voting don start for St. Agnes Primary School, Polling Unit 09, Alagomeji Ward 009.
  3. 'Na di pipo go decide'

      • Author, Princess Igho Williams
      • Role, BBC Pidgin
    Naghodo Emmanuel Ugochukwu

    One voter for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimil North, Local goment area of Delta state say na di pipo go decide and no be di politicians for di govnorship election wey dey take place today.

    Naghodo Emmanuel Ugochukwu wey come early to cast im vote, tok dis one as e reveal im expectations for today poll.

    "My expectation for today election be say na di pipo go decide and no be any politicians. Na di masses go decide but ultimately na God get di final say." Im tok.

    Emmanuel wey wear shirt wey dem write, "Fear of God" say im just decide to wear dis shirt today but no be becos of anytin politics.

    "I just look my hanger and decide to wear dis cloth comot. But looking at wetin I wear, I wan let pipo know say even though we feel say we no dey accountable to anybody, but one day we go stand before God and give account of anytin we dey do on Earth, weda we like am or not." E tok.

    Naghodo Emmanuel Ugochukwu

    Emmanuel say im don dey vote for elections since 2011and im believe say na di pipo go decide who dem want.

  4. Some fotos of electoral officials as dem bin dey ready to open polls across di kontri

    Election workers for Dorayi RA, Abia state
    Wetin we call dis foto, Election workers for Dorayi RA, Abia state

    Some fotos wey show how di Independent National Electoral Commission Adhoc staff wey dey deployed for different locations across di kontri set up and dey arrange dia materials so dem go fit start di process.

    Elections worker dey set for Hausawa PU 47 Kano state and dey wait for voters
    Wetin we call dis foto, Election worker dey set for Hausawa PU 47 Kano state and dey wait for voters
    Elections workers dey set for Hausawa PU 47 Kano state and dey wait for voters
    Wetin we call dis foto, Elections workers dey set for Hausawa PU 47 Kano state and dey wait for voters
    Woman siddon for ground dey opposite INEC officials
    Wetin we call dis foto, INEC officials, voters and security pipo don dey set for di govnorship and state assembly election for unit 12 and 13 for Alagomeji Lagos
    Election officer dey address voters
    Wetin we call dis foto, Election officer dey address voters for Ward 09 PU034
    Inec officials for Polling Unit 049 Ndume for Ibeku High School Umuahia, Abia State.
    Wetin we call dis foto, Inec officials for Polling Unit 049 Ndume for Ibeku High School Umuahia, Abia State.
  5. Updates from Kaduna state

    Adhoc staff and party agents for Collection Centre for Unguwar Sunusi Area of Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State North West Nigeria as at 8:15 am.

    Meanwhile, pipo bin don already queue down dey wait.

    Collection Centre for Unguwar Sunusi

    Wia dis foto come from, Mohammed Ibrahim

    Voters for Kaduna state dey queue dey wait to vote

    Wia dis foto come from, Mohammed Ibrahim

    Wetin we call dis foto, Voters for Kaduna state dey queue dey wait to vote
    Voters for Kaduna state dey queue dey wait to vote
    Wetin we call dis foto, Voters for Kaduna state dey queue dey wait to vote
  6. Updates from Akwa Ibom state

    All set for polling unit for Uyo
    Wetin we call dis foto, All set for polling unit for Uyo

    For dis polling unit, 001 Uyo Urban Ward 3 for Akwa Ibom state, officials don set up, dem bin dey wait to commence accreditation and voting by 8:30am.

    All set for polling unit for Uyo
    Wetin we call dis foto, All set for polling unit for Uyo
  7. Updates from Abia state

    Inec officials dey ready

    Tins don set already for Umuahia, Abia State. Ohokobe Umuohu 1- Ohokobe Village square.

    For poling unit 021 and polling unit 022, Inec officials arrive at 7:00am. Voters bin don already dey ground to cast dia votes as at 8:22 am and accreditation bin don start.

    For Ohokobe Umuohu 2- Ohokobe Village square, Polling unit 021 and polling unit 022, Inec officials arrive around 7:00am.

    Voters bin don already dey ground to cast dia votes as at 8:2200 am and accreditation bin don start.

    Inec officer dey ready materials for voting
    Wetin we call dis foto, Inec officer dey ready materials for voting
    Inec official dey relate wit voters for Abia state
    Wetin we call dis foto, Inec official dey relate wit voters for Abia state
  8. Breaking, Election officially begin

    Election don officially begin.

    According to Inec, voting go start 8:30am to 2:30pm.

  9. Distribution of election materials from di RAC centre for Port Harcourt LG

    RAC centre Township school

    Distribution of election materials from di RAC centre for Township school dey go on as election officials dey carry dem to di various polling units for Port Harcourt LGA, Rivers State.

    But some polling units wey dey inside di RAC centre don dey ready for di election.

    Dis na units 41, 42, 43 for PHALGA Ward 6 wey don set up and ready for di govnorship and State House of Assembly elections.

    Security agents also dey ground too to monitor di elections.

    RAC centre for Township school
    RAC centre for Township school
  10. Good morning from Ibadan!

    Isale-Ijebu road

    Good morning from Ibadan di capital of Oyo state.

    Di famous Isale-Ijebu road wia divide two local goments.

    To di right na Ibadan South West and to di left na Ibadan South East, di road dey clear and empty dis morning.

  11. Tins you go do during election wey go land you for INEC hot soup

    As you dey prepare to go exercise your rights to vote for di elections, e dey important make you sabi some tins wey fit land you inside serious trouble if you no follow di electoral law.

    Wetin we call dis Video, Nigeria general election 2023: Election offence and dia penalties
  12. Hello from Delta state!

      • Author, Princess Igho Williams
      • Role, BBC Pidgin
    Foto from Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimil North, LG,Delta State

    Voting neva start for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimili North, Local goment areas for Delta State.

    But dem don arrange chairs and oda tins for ground. Few voters don come dey wait for accreditation.

    Voters dey wait for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimili North, LG, Delta State
    Wetin we call dis foto, Voters dey wait for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimili North, LG,Delta State
    Voters dey wait for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimili North, LG, Delta State
    Wetin we call dis foto, Voters dey wait for Ward 9, Mgbala primary school Oshimili North, LG, Delta State
  13. States to watch out for during di govnorship polls

    Sanwo-Olu/Rhodes-Vivour

    Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

    No doubt say di election dis year dey different from wetin we don see in recent times, but sabi pipo say special attention go dey for states like Lagos, Oyo, Kano, Abia, Plateau and Delta States.

    One of di reasons na sake of how opposition win di ruling party for di state during di presidential election.

    E go dey hard to predict who go win for dis states.

    Lagos state wey be di commercial capital of di kontri dey face serious shake-up for di election process.

    Opposition Labour party win di ruling party during di presidential election.

    Lagos get three strong candidates wey dey try win di govnor seat.

    Di incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu of di All Progressives Congress, Olajide Adediran aka Jandor of di Peoples Democratic Party and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of di Labour Party get plenti supporters wey dey seriously root for dem online and anywia wey opportunity dey.

    Eyes go dey Adamawa state sef sake of di female wey wan try win di govnor seat.

    51-year-old Dairu Ahmed Aishatu na di ruling party only female govnorship candidate dem dey field for di kontri and also di only female candidate for Adamawa state.

    Kano get serious opposition to deal wit .

    Di presidential election for di state see di New Nigerians Peoples Party, NNPP give di ruling APC betA run for dia moni wit landslide victory, even though na for only dat state di candidate win beta number.

    Also, for di first time since democracy, Delta state lose for di presidential election.

    Presidential election wey happun on 25 February see Labour Party win wit 341,866 votes while PDP come second wit 161,600 votes for Delta State.

    But one of di govnorship candidates tell BBC Pidgin say di mata of president and govnor elections na two different tins entirely.

    Make we dey look.

  14. Voters don begin dey gada for Kano state

      • Author, Mansur Abubakar
      • Role, BBC Pidgin, Kano
    Ali Shehu

    Some voters don begin dey show face to cast dia votes for di govnorship and Assembly elections wey dey happun across Nigeria on Saturday.

    Some voters show up as early as 6:00am for Tukuntawa Primary voting station and dem say dem wan vote as early as possible.

    70-year-old Ali Shehu yan say na im first comot just like di presidential election and im mission na to vote in goment wey go dey just and helep poor pipo.

    “Na me first comot just like di presidential election becos I comot afta morning prayers around 6:00am.”

    “My prayer na for us to vote goment wey do justice and helep poor pipo.” E tok.

    Some voters for Kano don comot to vote
  15. EFCC dey on ground to stop vote buying

      • Author, Olaronke Alo
      • Role, Broadcast Journalist, BBC Pidgin
    File foto of EFCC officials for election ground

    Di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, say dem don deploy personnel of di agency across di 28 states wia elections go hold today.

    Di brief of di teams na to stop vote trading and oda financial malpractices wey fit compromise di integrity of di elections, di EFCC Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren tok for one statement.

    Di teams led by senior officers don since land dia assigned locations since Friday.

    “Una responsibility na to make sure say dis election no get financial mago-mago inside, especially inducement of voters.”, EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa tell di teams.

  16. How to vote

    As you dey ready to head to di polls to vote for your candidates, we break down for dis explainer how to vote into seven simple steps to guide you.

    Wetin we call dis Video, How to vote for Nigeria election 2023
  17. Di states wia elections go happun

    Nigerians dey vote to elect govnors and state assembly members.

    Na 18 political parties go participate for di polls and unlike di presidential election, na only 28 out of di 36 states of di federation go participate.

    Di govnorship elections for eight states - Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Osun and Ondo dey always happun different years becos of litigations and court judgements.

    But asides di govnorship election wey go be for 28 states, elections for members of state assemblies go happun for all di 36 states of di kontri.

    According to di Independent National Electoral Commission, Inec, 993 State Houses of Assembly seats na im dey up for grabs.

    Di 28 states wia govnorship elections go happun on Saturday na:

    • Abia
    • Adamawa
    • Akwa Ibom
    • Bauchi
    • Benue
    • Borno
    • Cross River
    • Delta
    • Ebonyi
    • Enugu
    • Gombe
    • Jigawa
    • Kaduna
    • Kano
    • Katsina
    • Kebbi
    • Kwara
    • Lagos
    • Nasarawa
    • Niger
    • Ogun
    • Oyo
    • Plateau
    • Rivers
    • Sokoto
    • Taraba
    • Yobe
    • Zamfara
  18. Wetin you need to know about di Guber polls

    Woman dey vote

    Wia dis foto come from, AFP

    Dis election dey happun on di 18th of March afta Nigeria election joinbodi, di Independent National Electoral Commission, Inec, bin postpone am by one week from 11 March afta di Presidential Election Petition Court wey sit for di Court of Appeal for Abuja Nigeria capital give di Independent National Electoral Commission di go ahead to reconfigure di Bimodal Voter Accreditation System wey dem use for di presidential election.

    Inec bin say dem take di decision so dem fit commence di re-configuration of di Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines wey dem use for di February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, to enable their use for di state elections.

    BVAS na di new voting device wey dey for cross-checking voters names for di Register of Voters.

    E dey authenticate voters wit di use of dia fingerprints or facials. Di BVAS also get camera and di capacity to snap Polling Unit level result and upload am to di INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal so dat citizens go fit view results as election dey end for each Polling Unit.

    Sabi pipo say di presidential election wey happun on 25 February record some voter intimidation and suppression.

    Plus, two opposition candidates, Atiku Abubakar of di PDP and Peter Obi of di Labour Party dey challenge di outcome of di election.

    E no clear how e g affect di turn-out today.

    Meanwhile, di govnorship elections dey only happun for 28 states out of di 36 states of di federation.

  19. Una good morning!

    Welcome to our live coverage today as Nigeria decide who dia govnors go be for di next four years.

    Our reporters dey for states around di kontri and go dey bring you live updates as di election dey go.

    Una welcome!