Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Saturday, condemned the
electoral malpractice and violence which disrupted the supplementary
elections in Brass, Nembe, Ekeremor town and parts of Southern Ijaw Local
Government Area.
Over 14 people, including four policemen, two soldiers and eight civilians
were feared dead in Ekeremor alone while many members of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) were reportedly attacked in Brass and Southern
Ijaw.
The victims were said to be in critical conditions at the Federal Medical
Centre, Yenagoa.
The governor who wept for those that were killed, prayed for God to grant
their souls eternal rest.
While calling for the arrest of the perpetrators of the killings, Governor
Dickson condoled the families of those who have lost their dear ones.
Governor Dickson thanked Bayelsans for reposing confidence in him and his
government and expressed confidence of victory.
According to Dickson, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has never been
happy with the the mantra of ‘one man, one vote’ anchored on transparency
and fairness.
The governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel
Iworiso-Markson, accused chieftains of the APC of masterminding the
killing of innocent Bayelsans in Brass, Ekeremor, Nembe and Southern Ijaw
LGAs.
He wondered “why the APC would kill to capture power desperately through
the backdoor, by hook or crook.”
While reiterating his earlier stance that the APC was not ready for
one-man one- vote, the governor said the violence has also vindicated him
on his earlier position that the security agencies particularly, the
Nigerian military are partisan and not willing to provide the enabling
environment for a free and fair election to take place.
Iworiso-Markson said, “The Governor also accused the security agencies of
providing cover for the APC to perpetrate violence and rig the elections
in the state. To achieve their sinister plot, APC militants hijacked
election materials and wrote results in many wards of Southern Ijaw,
Ekeremor town and Brass while elections were disrupted in parts of Yenagoa
and in a polling unit in Otokpoti, Ogbia LG. The governor called on the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to cancel the elections
in polling units where the APC hijacked election and results written.