Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson who voted at Oruerewari, Polling Unit 005, Toru Orua in Sagbama local government area has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the election in some parts of the state, where the exercise was characterised by alleged brigandage, hijacking of electoral materials and personnel.
Governor Dickson also called for outright cancellation of the elections in Nembe local government area where he alleged that over 20 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful were massacred by armed APC militia during an aborted campaign rally of the PDP,
“I call on the Chairman of INEC to issue an order canceling the process in all the wards, in all the local government areas affected, in all the wards and units, where materials have been stolen or hijacked, where officials have been kidnapped and held hostage to enable the APC cook up non existing figures.”
Governor Dickson said the APC was an unpopular party, describing what is happening in the state as an alleged well-orchestrated plan by the APC-led federal government to foist a one party system on the country.
According to the governor, “rogue elements in the Nigerian Army connived with the APC thugs to perpetrate electoral fraud and insecurity in some parts of Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Ogbia and even the state capital, Yenagoa.
Governor Dickson, who highlighted the gruesome killings during the PDP campaign in Nembe, noted that what is going on in Bayelsa was a charade and not a democracy.
He said some of the PDP supporters who were attacked during the campaign in Nembe were still gasping for breath on their hospital beds and called on the federal government to live up to its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property of Nigerians.
“Materials meant for Eniwari community, Opuama ward, most locations in Southern Ijaw as we earlier predicted were hijacked. As everyone knows, the APC has no foothold in Bayelsa to win an election but they have an armed militia, surveillance contractors who kill and maim for the APC. They also have the Nigerian Army and rogue elements of the Police Force working in concert with them to deny the citizens of these communities their right to vote.
“So as we are speaking, in our country, in this day and age, gun-wielding militia men with the aid of security forces have overrun the election officials and most of the electoral officials in Southern Ijaw. These officials as we speak, have been kidnapped and held hostage. This has been the lot, this has been what we’ve been managing since 2015, with APC at the center, not caring about the lived and dignity of our people. The APC at the center are too hungry and determined to make Nigeria a one party state.
“The president has to wake up and do something. What is going on in Bayelsa in the name of election is not a democracy. I call on the President to call on the security agents particularly the Army to stop desecrating Democratic governance and subjecting the image of the country to ridicule. I call on the Inspector General of Police to be true to his professional calling and direct the DIG and all the security operatives to protect the people of Bayelsa”. I do not want to be pushed to call on them to defend and protect themselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, incumbent Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello has defeated his rival Barrister Natasha Akpoti in her polling unit.
Akpoti is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, while Bello is the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress in the governorship race.
In the result declared in the presence of Akpoti APC scored 78 votes, Natasha’s SDP 76, while the PDP scored zero.
In Ugwolawo Unit 02 polling unit in Ofu Local government of the state,
APC =198
PDP =61
SDP =1
APGA =1
PPP =1
ADC =1
INVALID =21 Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State
PU 003, Ward 3, Bassa LGA
Total no of registered voters: 615
ANRP: 1
ADC: 1
SDP: 9
PDP: 88
APC: 178
Invalid 2; Rejected 1.
Ward 06, PU 002, Idah LG. Idah Ede Igalaba Kogi East LGA
Total number of voters – 516
Invalid – 8
SDP – 2
APC – 25
PDP – 187
Ogugu Ward polling unit, where Kogi State deputy governorship candidate of APC, Chief Edward Onoja, voted:
APC 409 votes.
Other parties: Zero
