…Rejects Nembe LGA results
Ayodele Olalere
Following spate of killings, ballot snatching, intimidation of voters and violence that marred Saturday’s gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa State, civil society groups that monitored the election have described it as sham and a disgrace to the provision of fundamental human rights as enshrined in the constitution.
In an election report by the groups signed by S. B Bafunsho of the Organization of Justice for Equity Sustenance, Dr. Isaac Onyike of Centre for Strategic Conflict Management, Comrade Peter Nwokolo of Citizens Rights & Leadership Awareness Initiative, Sandra Osunde of Global Policy Advocacy & Leadership Initiative, John Pofi Foundation, and Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, shortly after the election, the groups said the Fundamental Human Rights as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended, which provides for the freedom of association of every citizen, was put to sword by the security agencies and political parties involved in the violence.
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“What we saw in some LGAs in Bayelsa state is an aberration to this constitutional provision and grossly not in consonance with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 as Amended. We observed that elections did not hold in some parts of Bayelsa State as it was grossly disrupted by violence, intimidation and ballot box snatching. In some instances, there were complete absence of voting materials and ad hoc staff,” the group lamented.
The group, in the report, added that prior to the election in the state, campaigns were disrupted by thugs sponsored by a particular political party, which led to the death of innocent Nigerians.
” On Wednesday, the 13th of November, 2019, a political party was having a campaign in Nembe local government area. Some blood thirsty gun men came to the venue and opened fire without any provocation whatsoever, killing scores of law abiding Nigerians. Same gunmen prevented election from holding in Nembe LGA on the election day. Till this time, there has been no arrests, no prosecution thus increasing the impunity associated with committing such heinous crime as perpetrators are largely known and seen moving freely in such communities.
In Yenagoa Ward 5, Epie 2 Ward 4, Apiffa 2 Ward 2 and Epie 3 Ward 6, elections did not hold.”
While All Progressives Congress, APC, won the Nembe LGA with 83,041 votes as against the People’s Democratic Party 874, according to result announced by INEC, the groups said the result was not a true reflection of what transpired at the local government as no election took place because of violence.
“Nembe was the worst hit in pre election and election related violence. Elections did not hold in Nembe LGA. Some parts of Southern Ijaw were completely disrupted with violence. There was no elections in Ekeremor.
Several communities in Bayelsa State were sacked not due to flood or any natural disaster, but as a result of their affiliation to a particular political party. We did not see the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, living in Bayelsa State vote.
There is a disconnect of the security architecture of the 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State and the reality on ground as observed by our coalition.”
The groups vowed to report political parties involved in the electoral violence to appropriate authorities and international communities for them to face full wrath of the law.
” It is our collective determination to ensure that politicians who sponsor, fund, aide or abate violence would be made to face the full wrath of the law. We would report perpetrators to embassies so that travel bans could be issued on them and their families.”
The groups also called on the “Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject election results emanating from areas where elections never held in Bayelsa state as a way of strengthening our democratic tenets.