Gang violence and ballot snatching were widely reported during the elections in both states.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has concluded governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states but Nigerians have been lamenting the outcome of the exercise.
Gang violence and ballot snatching were widely reported during the elections in both states.
Joe Abbah, a governance expert, who was the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Sector Reform between 2013 to 2017, condemned the violent attacks on electorates during the governorship elections.
He said, “It is truly sad that all the gains that Nigeria made on electoral reforms, particularly between 2010 and 2015, have now been firmly lost.
“We are back to electoral violence, intimidation and the snatching of ballot boxes.
"As an advocate of governance reforms, this breaks my heart.”
Similarly, Saleh Shehu Ahmed, an Abuja-based journalist, lamented the turn out of the election.
He said, “This democracy may end up consuming us.
“With what I saw in Kogi and Bayelsa elections, the future is not bright.”
Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, also condemned the elections in the two states.
He said, “Today is another sad and dark moment for our country and democracy going by the outcome of Kogi and Bayelsa election brazenly rigged in connivance with INEC anf security agencies.
"The graveyard silence of Nigerians should however, not be mistaken for the consent of these shenanigans. I warned!”
Seun Onigbinde, co-founder of Budgit, also condemned the violence during the election.
In a post on Twitter, he chided Seriake Dickson, incumbent governor of Bayelsa State, for the outcome of the election.
Douye Diri lost the election to the candidate of All Progressives Congress.
Reacting to the incident, Onigbinde said, “Y'all didn't even know what Dickson did.
"The two PDP candidates for governor and deputy governor are current members of Senate.
“So, Dickson planned to leave two Senate slots opened. To what end? The humiliation was a product of greed.”
Kayode Ogundamisi, a socio-political critic, also blamed the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa on the lack of infrastructural development in the state.
In pictures shares on social media, electorates were seen queuing up in heavy flood to cast their votes during the election.
He said, “All political leaders from Bayelsa State and the Federal Government should cover their heads in shame.
“For people to come out and vote under these horrible conditions, it means they are filled with pain.
"A major oil-producing state deserves better.”
A Twitter user, Dolly Kola, also blamed the leadership of the PDP in Bayelsa State.
He said, “Not surprised by the Bayelsa elections at all.
"I'm Jonathan's loyalist, this was his backyard. He knows why the APC candidate deserved to win and why the people chose to revolt against Dickson. I trust his call and judgement.
"APC won fair and square. Kogi was a sham process."
Nigerians also expressed shock over pictures of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, and his wife in a cordial embrace with some APC members and winner of the governorship election in Bayelsa.
"Jonathan supported APC in Bayelsa? I wonder what his Twitter followers make of that,” Japheth Omojuwa said.
In Kogi State, the election was equally marred by events of ballot box snatching amongst others.
Jibrin Ibrahim, a Twitter user, queried the security agencies on their roles in maintaining law and order during the electoral process.
He said, “Our election observer group went round Kogi yesterday, wondering how armed thugs were allowed to move their vehicles freely and disrupt voting.
"Where were the 35,000 police allegedly deployed #KogiDeides2019.”