FROM MOLLY KILETE & FEMI FOLARANMI, YENAGOA
The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) is maintaining a comfortable lead in the supplementary governorship election held yesterday in the Southern Ijaw LGA and 101 units in Bayelsa State, despite the low turnout of voters recorded in some communities.
The collated results from various polling units and wards across the state made available to journalists showed that the PDP has widened its existing lead of over 33,000 votes.
Despite the reported hitches, the PDP swept the polls in units and wards in Amassoma, Otuan, Ogbia, Nembe Ogbolomabiri, Ekpetiama and some other communities as made available by the INEC officials at the various polling units.
The PDP, as at the time of filing this report polled 7,234 votes while APC is having 1,948 votes.
Decentralization of election materials policy adopted by the Independent National Election Commission, (INEC) assisted in the early arrival of materials in some communities, even though there were reported cases of hijacking of election materials and violence in some areas.
Voters, as reliably informed, were resolute in their determination to successfully finish the governorship election, which was previously declared inconclusive by INEC on December, 5 and 6, 2015.
To ensure the success of the poll, the Nigeria Police Force deployed 5,000 officers to the various polling units across the state.
Political thugs suspected to be working for the leading opposition party were not deterred by the presence of the security operatives, as they unleashed terror on Ekeremor, Famgbe and Nembe communities.
The election could not hold in Ekeremor town, as over five people including two policemen were reportedly killed and several injured in Nembe and Famgbe communities.
In Nembe community, members of the PDP were attacked by suspected thugs working for the APC and aided by security personnel. As at the time of filing this report, the injured PDP members were receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
Also, militants wielding AK 47 and other dangerous weapons hijacked the election materials meant for Lobia, 1, 2, 3 and Peremabiri.
Also, a building belonging to a PDP chieftain, Chief James Jephtah, a.k.a. Octopus was torched by the APC thugs, while some people have fled the community.
On Friday, the Governor’s Lodge in Ekeremor was vandalized, while the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Boyelayefa Debekeme and three other PDP chieftains were attacked with machetes by thugs.
Also, the immediate younger brother of the state Deputy Governor, Beinmopre Jonah was attacked at his residence in Ekeki, Yenagoa Local Government Area.
This development has led to calls for cancellation of the elections by the Peoples Democratic Party in Nembe and some communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government.
EARLY RESULTS
SOUTHERN IJAW WARD 3:
UNIT 1 PDP 215 APC 26
UNIT 2 PDP 360 APC 36
UNIT 3 PDP 96 APC 36
UNIT 4 PDP 104 APC 54
UNIT 5 PDP 157 APC 11
UNIT 6 PDP 53 APC 3
UNIT 7 PDP 114 APC 23
UNIT 8 PDP 49 APC 14
UNIT 9 PDP 383 APC 12
UNIT 10 PDP 73 APC 37
UNIT 11 PDP 78 APC 22
UNIT 12 PDP 53 APC 11
UNIT 13 PDP 87 APC 28
UNIT 14 PDP 45 APC 42
UNIT 15 PDP 41 APC 36
UNIT 16 PDP 46 APC 30
UNIT 17 PDP 36 APC 34
UNIT 18 PDP 16 APC 34
UNIT 19 PDP 47 APC 41
UNIT 20 PDP 63 APC 70
UNIT 21 PDP 65 APC 11
UNIT 22 PDP 41 APC 30
UNIT 23 PDP 37 APC 24
UNIT 24 PDP 64 APC 20
UNIT 25 CANCELLED
UNIT 26 PDP 82 APC 39