YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has reacted to the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, describing it as a vindication of its earlier position that conducting the said election was a wrong decision on account of security concerns in the area.
The PDP in a statement issued on Monday night by the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, said before the election was conducted it had informed INEC and security agencies that the whole of Southern Ijaw had been taken over by thugs.
The PDP in a statement issued on Monday night by the Director of Publicity of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, said before the election was conducted it had informed INEC and security agencies that the whole of Southern Ijaw had been taken over by thugs.
Obuebite stated that the PDP was for a free, fair and credible election and as such election in Southern Ijaw must be conducted in an atmosphere that could guarantee the participation of the people without let or hindrance and ensure its credibility.
According to him, as at 4pm on Sunday, election materials were still being distributed and wondered how such process could lead to a transparent election, adding that it was an orchestrated plan to rig the election as voting went on in the dark.
Obuebite said the situation also afforded political thugs to infiltrate the polling units snatching ballot boxes, intimidating voters under the supervision of the military amidst general apathy.
The PDP accused INEC, the police and army of colluding with the APC to rig the election, stressing that all that happened in Southern Ijaw last Sunday was co-ordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, with the aim of deflating the majority votes of Governor Dickson and then announce APC flag bearer, Timipre Sylva, as the winner.
Dickson was announced by INEC to have won seven of the eight local government areas in the state with a margin of 33.000, saying he has fulfilled constitutional requirement of two-third spread and popular votes but without Southern Ijaw as the only local government area remaining.
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According to him, as at 4pm on Sunday, election materials were still being distributed and wondered how such process could lead to a transparent election, adding that it was an orchestrated plan to rig the election as voting went on in the dark.
Obuebite said the situation also afforded political thugs to infiltrate the polling units snatching ballot boxes, intimidating voters under the supervision of the military amidst general apathy.
The PDP accused INEC, the police and army of colluding with the APC to rig the election, stressing that all that happened in Southern Ijaw last Sunday was co-ordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, with the aim of deflating the majority votes of Governor Dickson and then announce APC flag bearer, Timipre Sylva, as the winner.
Dickson was announced by INEC to have won seven of the eight local government areas in the state with a margin of 33.000, saying he has fulfilled constitutional requirement of two-third spread and popular votes but without Southern Ijaw as the only local government area remaining.
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The PDP called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the rerun election in Southern Ijaw is conducted under a violence-free atmosphere whenever it is rescheduled, stating that his integrity as well known was being damaged by those it said were close to him.
