ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Bayelsa State governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has called for the immediate withdrawal of soldiers deployed to monitor the ongoing governorship election.
This is as the Independent National Electoral (INEC) has cancelled the result for Southern Ijaw local government area following allegations of irregularities and declared the governorship election in Bayelsa State inconclusive.
INEC had earlier announced results from seven of the eight local government areas in the state with the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson, leading his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with about 29, 500 votes.
Dickson specifically accused the soldiers of colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to rig election in seven wards in Southern Ijaw LGA.
Making the allegation during a live radio interview on Monday in Yenagoa, the governor said despite calls by the stakeholders for postponement of the election as a result of the security challenges, which led to the death of no fewer than five persons, INEC went ahead without addressing the issue.
According to the governor, electoral materials meant for the election were distributed late in the night and subsequently hijacked by suspected APC thugs aided by military personnel.
He disclosed that some INEC adhoc staff and corps members were still being held hostage for failure to accede to the request of some APC chieftains in the affected wards.
According to the governor, electoral materials meant for the election were distributed late in the night and subsequently hijacked by suspected APC thugs aided by military personnel.
He disclosed that some INEC adhoc staff and corps members were still being held hostage for failure to accede to the request of some APC chieftains in the affected wards.
Expressing concern over what he described as undemocratic act and a flagrant violation of the fundamental human rights of law abiding people of the state by the INEC officials and security operatives, Dickson called for timely intervention of the international community to prevail on the Federal government to ensure fairness.
He said “what the Nigerian government is doing is a coup against democracy and subversion of my authority as governor and even of the peace and security of this state.
“If you asked, who is creating this mess, it is the APC led Federal government deploying for the first time the military personnel to humiliate and attack people and forcing them to vote midnight. It has never happened anywhere in this country.
“The reason for this avoidable mess in Southern Ijaw is because by the calculation of the APC-led government with tacit support of the military to forcefully hijack some election materials on that Sunday so that they can aid APC to write results without voting,” he submitted.
He said “what the Nigerian government is doing is a coup against democracy and subversion of my authority as governor and even of the peace and security of this state.
“If you asked, who is creating this mess, it is the APC led Federal government deploying for the first time the military personnel to humiliate and attack people and forcing them to vote midnight. It has never happened anywhere in this country.
“The reason for this avoidable mess in Southern Ijaw is because by the calculation of the APC-led government with tacit support of the military to forcefully hijack some election materials on that Sunday so that they can aid APC to write results without voting,” he submitted.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
Speaking in the same vein, the Acting National chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said the development is unacceptable, as it negates all known democratic norms, assuring the governor of the party’s support in fighting against political criminality and injustice.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call to order the Minister of Defence, Gen. Mohammed Dan Ali (rtd), the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase and the top brass of other security agencies.
