Sylva berates PDP over protest against poll result

CUPP calls for cancellation in disputed places
Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylvia, has declared that the protest staged by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s office on Monday was motivated by the desperation of the party to influence results of places it lost.

Sylva told journalists that the reported violence was caused by the desperation of Governor Seriake Dickson to win by any means, no matter how many people were killed.

While reiterating that people of Bayelsa are with the APC, the former PDP governor said, “When a serving governor and his party are protesting, then something is wrong with him and his party. Dickson is not INEC. Unless he is saying INEC is not competent.”

The Bayelsa capital, Yenagoa, was on Monday locked down by members of the PDP on a protest march demanding the cancellation of the results from Southern Ijaw and Nembe councils of the state.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has called for the cancellation of the results from seven wards in Nembe-Basambiri and four wards from Southern Ijaw over alleged malpractices.Addressing journalists in Yenagoa, the state chairman of CUPP, Tare Edwin, demanded fresh election in the areas mentioned, as violence marred the exercise there.

“The unfortunate and sad act was also perpetrated in Ward 4, 14, 15 and 16 in Southern Ijaw Council. The shameful act is coming on the heels of President Muhammadu Buhari’s riot act to deal ruthlessly with perpetrators of ballot box snatching, and the leaders of APC are carrying out this act.“We demand a fresh election to be conducted in all the areas affected and call on INEC not to accept any result from the affected areas,” they said.

Sylva has also called on the authorities to began proper investigation and prosecution of the 15 gunmen arrested by the army during Saturday’s presidential election in Bayelsa. He said proper investigation would unearth those behind the gunmen and the illegitimate importation and proliferation of arms in the state.

Sylva spoke against the backdrop of the violence that almost marred the elections on Saturday and the arrest of 15 men with sophisticated arms in Southern Ijaw waterways.The Assistant Director, Army Relations, Major Jonah Danjuma of the 16th Brigade, stated in Yenagoa that the intelligence-driven arrest led to the discovery of one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two speed boats, among others.