Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
Despite the skirmishes that greeted some parts of Saturday’s Bayelsa State election, there was marked improvement in the organisation of the Bayelsa Governorship Election by INEC. .
In many parts of Yenagoa City, electoral personnel and materials arrived early to the polling units with accreditation and voting also taking place.
The process has been largely peaceful and orderly with moderate turnout of voters in many places.
Despite the heavy presence of security personnel across the State, there have been isolated incidents of violence and disruption of the electoral process in some areas.
Compared to the 2023 General Election, INEC Personnel and materials arrived in many polling units on schedule in Yenagoa City.
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At the Bayelsa Medical University located along Imgbi Road, Amarata which plays host to units 52 to 57 in Ward 6, accreditation and voting went on simultaneously with some voters expressing satisfaction with the process.
The Presiding Officer in Unit 52, Hyacinth Miniku said better organization was responsible for the early commencement of voting.
However, the transfer of some polling units from their original location to other areas affected some voters as explained by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Non Indigenes/Special Duties, Mr. Nneji Friday.
An Election Monitor, Mr. Ono Akpe said he was impressed so far with the process.
In Kolokuma-Opokuma, LGA, governor Douye Diri’s home base, accreditation and voting went on not without some altercations between PDP supporters and that of APC which also has strong presence there .
Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and incumbent Governor, Douye Diri and his wife, Gloria cast their votes at Kalama-owei Wari Unit 4, Ward 6 Sampou at about 8.40am, commending Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for improving their facilities and training of personnel.
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The governor, who spoke with newsmen shortly after voting, expressed concerns over the alleged harassment of his party members and agents from Nembe-Basambiri.
After some initial delays, accreditation and voting also took place in Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas.
Candidate of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of the State, Chief Timipre Sylva voted alongside his wife, Alayingi at his Polling Unit 4, Ward 4 at the Dukuraku open space in Okpoama, Brass LGA.
The immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources was elated to have voted but also alleged that his supporters had been attacked in parts of the State.
In Ogbia LGA, materials arrived early in Ward 9, Units 3, 12 and 39 at about 7.30am with accreditation and voting starting at 8.30am with the process generally peaceful.
Meanwhile, former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has appealed to the National Assembly to amend the law and put an end to off-season elections in the country.
He made the call shortly after voting at Polling Unit 39, Ward 13 in his home town Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area .
In Nembe-Ogbolomabiri INEC officials and materials arrived at about 7.30am amidst transportation challenges. Voting started at 8.30am with the former Deputy Governor of the State Retired Rear Admiral Gborigbiogha John Jonah expressing satisfaction with the process.
However, in Southern Ijaw LGA, the process has been characterized by late arrival of materials. Accreditation and voting commenced at Ward 1 in Oproma, headquarters of the LGA at about 12.45pm
There are reports that at about 9 a.m.at Agorogbene, Units 6, 7 and 8 in Ward 11 of the local government area, suspected thugs from a chieftain of one of the parties drove voters away and destroyed election materials as attempts by the electorate to challenge the armed men were met with heavy gunshots.
The armed thugs stormed the Registration Area Center (RAC) centre and carted away election materials for five out of the seven units.
At Ogiadiama Ward 9 , Unit 14, gunmen stormed the unit but were repelled by security operatives.
Also there were reports that armed thugs invaded polling units in the Sagbama local government area, shooting indiscriminately and destroying some election materials.
At Famgbe in the Yenagoa local government area, some suspected thugs loyal to the two leading political parties engaged in a gun duel that reportedly claimed the life of at least one person. There were also reported shootings around the Ekeki and Osiri areas of Yenagoa the sprawling state capital Saturday afternoon as Amoured tank was seen stationed to nip.more violence in the bud .
Also at Units 12 and 18 in ward 7 Nedugo community in Yenagoa LGA , home of the Commissioner for Information and strategy, Hon. Ayibana Dubai, voting was in progress on a visit there.
In an interview, Dubai disposed that voting materials arrived there early and voting commenced as scheduled in peaceful atmosphere.
Dubai says his people gave him the honour to vote first before others as they all voted for the party of their choice .
Asked about voters apathy , he says there was massive turn out of voters but however noted that some.could.be scared if there were drums of war being beaten by top politicians, and advised politicians to mind how they make utterances during elections as it could affect the voting process .
” I call on political actors not to beat the drums of war ahead of elections as it could scare people away during the voting process” he said .
However as at the time of this report , scanty reports are filtering from Southern Ijaw LGA , the largest council area.and mostly revrine , a hot bed of political miltiancy where most polical parties expects votes that would make up their victory .
The area is the home base of Chief Joshua Maciva , the Deputy Governoship candidate for the APC. It’s also the home base of former governorship candidate of the party that won but was reversed by the Supreme Court in 2019, Chief David Lyon who, unconfirmed sources says , is reportedly not supporting Sylva’s ambition .There are stronf fears of him working against the the APC in the area .
The PDP and the APC are expected to slug it out in the largely riverine area of the state .
Engr. Udengs Eradiri of the Labour Party who resigns his faith to God says it will be many years for money politics to change in the state .
Eradiri in an interview with journalists at his Agudama Ekpetiama country home Saturday afternoon says he went into the race to change money politics but noted that the situation was still very bleak as buying of votes with money was still the order of day…” moneys and tallies were exchanging hands, some N12000, N15,000, N20,000, N25000″, alleged Eradiri who added that in “some areas in Ogbia LGA some.politicians paid up to N30 to N40,000 to buy votes .
He blamed the electorate for voting against their conscience because of money .
” Vote buying is all the way. I miss understood the situation before I embarked on the race .People just want something in their stomachs “.
The NigerianXpress checks recall that , the development may have vindicated strong rumours months to the election in the state that Political parties, especially the ruling party was keeping about N30billion for vote buying .
” I know where the problem is . The problem is not in the political.class, the problem. is in electorate. The electorate are not prepared , they are encouraging corruption in the society , they are encouraging the kind of electoral process we have” lamented Eradiri who disclosed that his ( Labour Party) agents were refused in polling units as he blamed INEC for creating an error which has affected his chances at the polls .
According to him, INEC mixed up names and passport photos of 2,244 agents of Labour party sent to them .
As the names came., there were a lot of mix ups which he described as sabotage from INEC.
” It was deliberate , INEC did it deliberately,” he said.
