Soldiers, DSS, police take over Bayelsa INEC office

Soldiers, DSS, police take over Bayelsa INEC office

An estimated 300 soldiers and other security operatives have been deployed to protect the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Bayelsa State against protesting party supporters.

The youths who besieged the INEC office at Aritallin, Yenagoa, in their hundreds were supporters of the All Progressives Congress from Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 where there was a reported incident of shooting in the afternoon.

The leadership of INEC in the state was said to have called for security reinforcement when the protesting youths led by the state Chairman of the APC, Mr. Tiwei Oruminighe, came to the office to complain about alleged irregularities in the constituency elections.

Orunimighe alleged that collation materials of several communities for the election were diverted to theBayelsa State Speaker, Kombowei Benson, residence at Krokorosei for manipulation.

He joined the protesting youths to demand for the cancellation of the Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 election.

He alleged that a supporter of the APC was shot during an altercation at the Oporoma headquarters of the local government.

Although the Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, told one of our correspondents on the telephone that while it was true that the police received a distress call from Oporoma, nobody was shot and nobody was killed.

The APC chairman, who addressed journalists, insisted that the party no longer had confidence in the electoral officer who conducted the election.

As of the time of filling the story, the Speaker was still with the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.

Security agents deployed within and outside the premises defied the rain to keep vigil on the premises.

Meanwhile, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ebi Owoubiri Koko-Obiyai has won the Yenagoa Constituency 2 election.

Dr. Tano Agusonu, who released the results at the constituency headquarters in Owoubiri said that Koko-Obiyai polled 55,281 votes to defeat her closest rival, Godspower Akeh, who scored 2,148.

He said the APC candidate, Panebi Fortune, scored 454 votes.

There were disturbances at the Southern Ijaw LGA Constituency 4 Saturday afternoon.

There was heavy shooting at the Oporoama headquarters of the council which led to the disruption of the electoral process as people scampered for safety. It was learnt that the Speaker of the House of the Assembly, who was at the scene escaped being attacked. The source said election results were suspended as a result of the disturbances.

Reacting to allegation that election materials were diverted to his house where they were manipulated, the Speaker, Benson, denied the allegation. He said he only went to his polling unit to cast his vote.

Benson said the conduct of the election was okay and insisting that it was only in Ward 17 that there were some problems.

Source : Punch