On the 9th of March this year, 29 out of 36 states in Nigeria held gubernatorial elections. The remaining states are expected to hold their elections at later dates with approval from the country’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Kogi and Bayelsa states in the North Central and South-South region of the country, respectively, are set to hold their state elections in November. As both states prepare for the big day, here are few things you need to know:

• Both elections will be held on the same day, November 16.
• Nigeria’s electoral body (INEC) has approved 23 political parties to contest in Kogi State and 45 parties to run in Bayelsa State.
• Fourteen invalidly submitted nominations by political parties for the elections were rejected, 8 from Kogi and 6 from Bayelsa.
• Bayelsa State has 923,182 registered voters with 769,509 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected, while Kogi state has 1,646,350 registered voters and 1,435,751 collected PVCs.
• While there are collectively up to 68 parties running for positions in both states, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) remain the top parties in terms of popularity and votes.
• Kogi’s incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello, will be running for the second term in office on the platform of the APC and is up against his main opposition, Musa Wada of the PDP.
• In Bayelsa state, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of the PDP will be stepping down as he has completed his constitutionally allowed terms as governor. Lyon David Pereworimini of the APC and PDP’s Diri Duoye are the top contenders for his position in the state.
• Both Kogi and Bayelsa have a history of electoral violence, making the elections one to watch. During the presidential and National Assembly elections in February, three deaths were confirmed and a few arrests were made in both states.
• In Bayelsa, the opposition party has been splintered due to disagreements in their leadership ahead of the polls. This has led to the creation of two factions where one is led by the state chairman of the APC, Jonathan Amos, who suspended five rival party members. The other faction is controlled by the deputy chairman of the APC, Ogeibiri Orubebe, who indefinitely suspended seven chieftains in Amos’ camp.

Analysts agree that Governor Yahaya Bello of the APC remains popular amongst voters in Kogi and appears to be edging towards a second term. Unfortunately for the party, the current crisis in the APC camp in Bayelsa state may cripple their chances at the polls.

INEC appears set for the elections and citizens do not expect a repeat of the logistics issues that affected elections in other parts of the country earlier in the year. The conduct of this election may also determine the outcome of the Ondo and Anambra states polls next year.