The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the just concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, on Monday said he would challenge the result of the election in court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Sunday declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and incumbent governor of the state, Seriake Dickson, winner of the election.
Nigeria’s senate president, Bukola Saraki, has stated that perpetrators of violence during the supplementary election in Bayelsa state must be held accountable.
Saraki was reacting to reports that violence marred the supplementary polls in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the oil-rich state.
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Seriake Dickson has been declared winner of the Bayelsa State governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Mr Dickson polled 134,998 votes to emerge winner of the election. Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Timipre Sylva, scored 86,852 votes to place second.
The campaign organisation of Governor Seriake Dickson has called for the immediate arrest a militant leader, General Ogunbos for allegedly leading armed militants to invade Peremabri community in Southern Ijaw today in six armed gunboats.
In a statement by the Governor’s Campaign Organization signed by Jonathan Obuebite its Director of Publicity it said “Reports reaching our news desk says armed militants led by General Ogunbos, accompanied by military and civil defense personnel, this afternoon (Tuesday 5th January), invaded Peremabiri community in Southern Ijaw in six heavily armed gunboats, shooting sporadically as villagers scamper for safety”.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governors’ Forum, have warned President Muhammadu Buhari and other relevant agencies of government to desist from interfering in the supplementary election scheduled for Bayelsa State on Saturday.
The PDPGF, also expressed confidence in the ability of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, to sweep the polls, adding that, his numerous achievements in all sectors of the economy in the state were commendable.
It is four days to the Bayelsa governorship rerun polls. And a picture of the direction the exercise may take has emerged with the main contenders, state Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Seriake Dickson and Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) trading accusations. These accusations were about not only the violence that marred the last exercise but also on plans still afoot to perpetrate mayhem on Saturday.
The governor said Sylva was employing security agents to protect and provide cover for criminal elements in the state. Dickson also alleged that Sylva has also been promoting violence in the state, as he had made it impossible for those who perpetrated the violence in the last election to be prosecuted but has rather been using the police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security apparatus to support his party in their activities.
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has won all the Chairmanship positions in Saturday’s local council election in the state.
The Chairman of the Zamfara State Independent Electoral Commission (ZSIEC), Alhaji Garba Muhammad said on Sunday in Gusau that all the candidates of the party in the 14 councils had met all the provisions of the electoral law and had been declared winners of the election in their respective councils.
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the violence and breach of peace that occurred before and after the governorship election between December 3 and 6 in the state.
Dickson said this in a press statement signed by Daniel Iwariso Markson, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor that he is setting a six member Judicial Commission of Inquiry in exercise of powers conferred upon him by section 2 (1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law, Cap 8 Laws of Bayelsa State of Nigeria 2006.
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the courage of the people of Bayelsa State for curtailing what it called “APC’s rigging machinery”, which led to the cancellation of the elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said that but for the bravery of the people of Bayelsa in standing up for their votes against the hordes of harassments allegedly by the military and other security forces, their will as a people would have been completely subverted in the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled the elections which held in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
INEC says the polls were marred by several electoral malpractices especially ballot box snatching and thuggery.
The situation in Southern Ijaw, according to INEC, renders the election inconclusive.
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