ANXIETY GRIPS BAYELSANS OVER NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS

There is anxiety in Bayelsa State as people of the state continued to await the outcome of Last Saturday’s National Assembly election even as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) emerged victories in the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency .
According to a statement by Mrs. Pricilla Imoudu Sule, INEC’s image maker, incumbent House of Representative member for the constituency Hon. Warman Ogriba recorded 19,340 votes to beat Labour Party candidate with 17,682 votes while ACN pulled 383.

There are fears that the delay in releasing the results of the National Assembly polls may not be unconnected with moves by the ruling party to manipulate the electoral process in favour of t their candidates.

Twenty-four hours after the election reports have it that the Labour Party was leading in most of the Local Government areas of the state in what could be described as a move to unseat the People’s Democratic Party.

In Town-Brass, a loyalist of Hon. Nelson Belief the incumbent House of Representatives member for Nembe-Brass Federal constituency was killed when supporters of Labour Party and the PDP clashed in the premises of INEC in the area Nelson belief is seeking re-election.

There are reports that there were no election materials or presence of official s of the Independent National Electoral Commission in most of the polling units to enable the electorate exercise their franchise.

In Otuake, the country home of President Goodluck Jonathan, accreditation and voting went on smoothly while the president voted in the community exactly 12:30pm to signal the commencement of the exercise .

However, crisis erupted in the neighnoruing Otuasege community in Ogbia local government when supporters of the main opposition party (LABOUR Party) clashed with supporters of the ruling party where a youth was macheted.

The Council of Domestic Observers led by Mr. Amangala Josiah has thanked the people of the state for show-casing what it takes to produce a president of the country considering the conduct National Assembly polls.

He described the elections as peaceful, credible and acceptable emphasizing that Bayelsa has never witnessed such an electoral process.