The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cancelled the elections which held in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
INEC says the polls were marred by several electoral malpractices especially ballot box snatching and thuggery in some wards, which renders the election inconclusive.The commission says a new date for fresh elections in the local government will be announced soon.
In a Government house statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson commended the good people of Bayelsa State for standing up to be counted by protecting their votes so far in the December 5th governorship election in the face of intimidation, harassment, killings of innocent voters and ballot snatching by the Nigeria military and APC thugs in Brass and Southern Ijaw local governments.
Governor Dickson was full of praise for the people for their courage, stressing that, the cancellation of the elections in Southern Ijaw shouldn’t damper the resilience and courage of Bayelsans in defending democracy and the Ijaw nation.
The statement noted that, the cancellation has further vindicated Governor Seriake Dickson, who had earlier urged the commission and the security agencies not to go ahead with the election in Southern Ijaw in the light of clear cases of insecurity created by the APC, who were jittery and were losing in the results collated from seven out of eight local government area.
The statement enjoins Bayelsans to remain law abiding and go about their bussinesses, assuring them of the government’s readiness to always protect their interest and also deliver democracy dividends to all Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation