■ Dickson condemns violence, killings
More than 14 people were feared killed in the supplementary election held yesterday in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa. Among those allegedly killed were four policemen, two soldiers and eight civilians.
Reacting to news of the killings, Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson condemned the electoral malpractice and violence, which marred the supplementary elections in Brass, Nembe, Ekeremor town and parts of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the governor accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains of masterminding the killings of innocent Bayelsans in Brass, Ekeremor, Nembe and Sothern Ijaw and wondered why the APC would kill to capture power.
The governor wept for those who were killed and prayed for the repose of their souls. While calling for the arrest of the perpetrators of the crime, Governor Dickson condoled the families of those who have lost their dear ones.
While reiterating his earlier stance that the APC was not ready for ‘One Man, One Vote’ the governor said the violence had also vindicated him on his assertion that the security agencies particularly, the Nigeria military are partisan and not willing to create the enabling environment for a free and fair election to take place.
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, Brass, Ekeremor town, Brass while elections were disrupted in parts of Yenagoa and in a polling unit in Otokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area. The governor called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to cancel the elections in polling units where the APC hijacked election materials and wrote results.
Many PDP members were attacked in Brass and Southern Ijaw and are in critical conditions at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.
Governor Dickson thanked Bayelsans for reposing confidence in him and his government and expressed confidence of victory.