Bayelsa state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mr Monday Tom Udoh has declared a two days amnesty to alleged card Readers thieves during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
Udoh also disclosed that the Commission has retrieved 22 Smart Card Readers out of the 69 stolen by political thugs during the February 23rd presidential and NASS election in the state, noting that it will take strict measures on areas where the Card Readers are yet to be recovered.
He said this on Monday while speaking in Yenagoa during a stakeholders meeting with leaders of political parties.
Udoh, while commending the Civil Liberty Society (CLO), religious leaders, community chiefs, youths, women groups and major stakeholders for reaching out to some thugs before some of the machines were returned, added that INEC will continue to perform the role of the unbiased umpire in the state.
The REC, also urged residence to eschew violence for a better election in the state, adding that election is not war but a process for leaders to emerge.
“Election is not war; where there’s peace you find progress and development. So by the time you kill those you are to lead what is the gain and who will you lead,” he said.
In his reaction, the state chairman of Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) Chief Alabo Nengi James, commended INEC on their consistency in educating Bayelsans on the best practice of election, adding that there was need for the people to conduct themselves peacefully during the forthcoming elections.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has called on security operatives deployed to the state for the Saturday February 9th House of Assembly elections to be civil, non-partisan and professional in their conduct of securing the electoral process and not allow themselves to be used as tool for harassment, intimidation and compromise of the electoral process as witnessed in the Presidential and National Assembly election in the state.
