The tension finally simmered as INEC yesterday, announced the cancellation of the Governorship Electoral result of the southern Ijaw Local Government in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State.
Announced by the resident electoral commissioner(REC) Bayelsa state, Baritor Kpagih at the collation centre Yenagoa, the REC said the cancellation came as a result of electoral violence which marred the Election at the Southern Ijaw local government.
The REC said the election was substantially marred by violence ballot box snatching, intimidation of electoral officers which he said is against the electoral law even in Nigeria and by international l standard. The commissioner has decided to cancel the election of Southern Ijaw local government.
He said a new date will be announced later. Meanwhile early in the morning of Monday Information reached that there were series of protests in Southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa and at the Yenagoa collation centre where the protesters mainly women were protesting against the hijacking of
election materials.
Already at the controversial Southern Ijaw local government, accreditation started as late as 6pm while voting started latter in the night.
The protesters who had posters with inscription written “military take yourselves out of politics” and other inscription were protesting against the various hijacks of electoral material. The Almighty Southern Ijaw being awaited. It will decide who wins the Bayelsa Governorship elelction. PDP lead with over 33,000 margin from declared results so far.
Recall that Southern Ijaw has about four constituencies and is a deciding factor on who wins the Bayelsa state election.
Police however public rallies, processions and demonstrations, but some women and youths protested at the state collation office in Yenagoa.
There were also more drama as some youth later in a commando fashion stormed the state collation center in Yenagoa where they brought electoral materials
which according to them was from voting in Amassoma, home town of Alamieyeseigha in Southern Ijaw. They said they rescued the materials from fake military personnel.
Also an APC chieftain’s son name withheld allegedly died in a car accident.
Information had it that the son of the chieftain carried a ballot box wearing army uniform and was running away when he had a car accident. As it this morning it was said that the man is late.
Already the Assistant inspector general of police zone 5 Musa Dauras aid no one should embark on any form of protest or risk being arrested. But immediately the cancellation was announced, Yenagoa the state capital came alive again with heavy traffic witnessed on the roads of Yenagoa.
Even though APC supporters are not happy with the cancellation, PDP is jubilating because they have been calling for the postponement of the election. Now that it has been cancelled it now on the parties concerned to go back and re-strategise and now how best to handle both their supporters who are still practicing militant activities using politics to cover face.
Also INEC has a job to do now so the next rerun will be devoid of
election malpractices.
Meanwhile Nembe result was released and PDP got 10768 while APC got 6974 still giving PDP an upper hand.