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Dickson deplores military’s role in presidential poll

By Julius Osahon (Yenagoa) and Charles Ogugbuaja (Owerri)
05 March 2019   |   4:28 am
• Anglican bishop urges tighter security for state ballot Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has again accused military operatives of using brute force in the February 23 general elections in the state. The governor, while presenting flags to the party’s House of Assembly candidates in Yenagoa, described the military’s role during the elections as…

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa. Photo/ Twitter/iamHSDickson

• Anglican bishop urges tighter security for state ballot
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has again accused military operatives of using brute force in the February 23 general elections in the state.

The governor, while presenting flags to the party’s House of Assembly candidates in Yenagoa, described the military’s role during the elections as coup against democracy.He, however, urged the people to turn out in their numbers on Saturday to vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates despite the brazen intimidation and harassment by partisan security forces.

“The last election that held just a few days ago can best be described as a military coup against democracy in our state. I don’t expect anything less in the coming election. Despite [the intimidation], we won in all the units, wards and constituencies where election took place,” he added.

Meanwhile, women of Opu Nembe in Nembe Bassambiri have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend the forthcoming election in the troubled community.

Spokesperson of the women, Mrs. Sotonye Samuel-Johnson, stated on Monday that the call to postpone the election in the violence-ridden community was necessary to safeguard the lives and property of women and children in the area. She urged the president to direct urgent investigation into the activities of the thugs and their army collaborators, which, according to her, had assumed a frightening dimension.

However, Anglican Bishop of Egbu Diocese, Imo State, Geoffrey Okorafor, has appealed to INEC to guarantee adequate security in every nook and cranny of the country during the governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

Okorafor, who gave the advice at the weekend during the Eucharistic service to mark his pastoral visit at Church of Advent, Umuchulu, Eziama in Ngor Okpala Council, said the commission could work with the security operatives to secure the polling booths.
He decried high level of violence and electoral fraud during the last ballot.

The cleric lamented the death of some Nigerians, including corps members who were engaged in the last polls.He appealed to eligible voters to be mindful of the governorship candidates and the aspiring lawmakers they would vote for on Saturday.

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