INC, APC condemn inconclusiveness

THE Ijaw National Congress (INC) has said that the inconclusiveness of governorship election in Bayelsa state is a setback for Nigreria’s democratization process.

Meanwhile, scores of aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC) members have staged a peaceful protest in Yenagoa to demand a cancellation of the result of last Saturday’s governorship election declared by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INC spokesperson, Victor Burubo, told The Guardian that Ijaws were disturbed by INEC’s decision to declare the Bayelsa state election inconclusive. He argued that after a thorough examination of the impasse, the INC is of the view that certain persons in the electoral body had failed to live up to their responsibility, otherwise, there would not have been any justification for creating unwarranted political tension in that state.

Burubo said it was worrisome that the current leadership of INEC has declared two recently conducted governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa states inconclusive. He described this as unacceptable and charged the new INEC national chairman to rise up to the occasion by ensuring not only free but fair elections in the country.

The INC condemned desperate politicians and their cohorts who resorted to the use to brutal violence during the Bayelsa polls. He said the INC views the resort to violence as a means to win election with grave concerns, and urged security agencies deployed to provide security to do more to ensure the safety of life and property.

“The resort to violence is highly condemnable. We don’t know those behind it, as both opposing parties are pointing accusing fingers at each other. The action is condemnable. The people of Bayelsa state deserve to hold a peaceful election to elect their governor. President Goodluck Jonathan is an advocate of one man one vote, as well as peaceful election. It is obvious that some desperate politicians have not learnt anything from him”, he said.

He tasked INEC to rise up to the occasion and conduct a hitch free and transparent election in Bayelsa. He stated that the eyes of the entire world would be focused on Bayelsa whenever INEC decides to conduct the election in Southern Ijaw to determine if the commission is prepared to consolidate on the gains made by INEC during the last dispensation.

The protesters who took to the streets of Yenagoa yesterday said Saturday’s election in Yenagoa local government area was marred by irregularities and should be cancelled.

APC’s State Youth Leader, Edison Sorgwe, claimed that results declared by the INEC’s collation officer for the PDP, APC and other political parties were inconsistent with the number of rejected votes and cancelled votes. He argued that it was wrong for INEC to base its cancellation of the result of Southern Ijaw local government area on purported snatching of ballot boxes, irregularities and violence, whereas same thing happened in Yenagoa. According to him, over eight APC members have been hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the attacks inflicted on them by thugs.

Sorgwe said that voters in Yenagoa, Ekeremor,Sagbama and Southern Ijaw areas of the State have lost confidence in the ability of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Barotoh Kpagih to conduct election in the state due to alleged compromise, stressing: “we are against the cancellation of Southern Ijaw Local Government election.”