Tony Olutomiwa, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has condemned the role of the Nigerian Army during elections in the state.
The governor said the Army invaded the state and violated the right of the people to vote.
He said that the Army which has a statutory responsibility to protect the territorial integrity of the nation only came into the state to terrorise innocent communities with a motive to rig elections in favour of the ruling party in the country.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations , Fidelis Soriwei, on Sunday, quoted him as having criticized the conduct of some soldiers and officers while speaking as a special guest in an interactive live programme on Radio Bayelsa, Yenagoa.
The governor was said to have expressed reservation over the conduct of the soldiers, warning that he could call out the Bayelsa people to embark on a massive peaceful protest against what he referred to as the illegalities being perpetrated by the army.
He said while the Navy has maintained its integrity throughout the period of the elections, the men of the army engaged in hijacking electoral materials to rig the elections for politicians of the APC.
He claimed that the army’s illegalities were pronounced in places like Kolo, Imiringi, Otuasega, Otuokpoti, Ayama in Ogbia, Nembe Bassambiri, Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw, Kolokumma Okpokuma, Agbere in Sagbama and other communities.
Dickson, who also expressed regret over President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to sign the Electoral Amendment Act, said if the use of the card reader had been strictly complied with, it would have averted political violence and electoral fraud in the country.
The Governor said Nigeria is treading a dangerous path under the APC-led government, noting that the country had never experienced the level of disrespect for the rule of law which, he said, had crippled critical institutions such as the INEC and security services.
His words:” In 2015, this country was on the right path with decision sanctioned by the then President Goodluck Jonathan when we authorised the use of the smart card. If INEC had implemented it faithfully, made necessary investments, and if the APC-led Federal Government had pushed forward the frontiers of electoral reforms, Bayelsa State and indeed, this country won’t be going through this situation.
“When you have institutions that are so weak and cannot work for the national interest, you have a failed state, The APC has turned our democracy upside down. They have taken us over 30 years back. By 2015, everyone knew we were making progress but we all know where we are today.
“You can imagine soldiers of the Nigerian Army snatching electoral materials from various constituencies. I don’t see the logic in a major of the Nigerian Army leading people to Constituency 4 of Southern Ijaw to terrorize innocent voters.
“The Army is invading this state. I urge our people to be calm. However, the Army should not assault us as a state. We are not electing Army officers, we are not electing people to represent the Army. We are only trying to elect our representatives and they should allow us to do so.
“If they continue this way, I will be left with no other choice than to call out our people in all the communities of this state for a peaceful protest.”
He also advised the commanding officers to prevail on their junior ones not to jump into the fray but to be neutral, professional and provide general security in the interest of the country.
He also called on the Residence Electoral Commissioner in the state to to redeem his image by investigating the card readers and cancel the wrongfully declared results in areas where election were disrupted or did not take place.
