Suspected militants and hoodlums on Saturday stormed polling units in Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area, Opu- Nembe in Nembe Local Government Area, and Sambo in Twon Brass, Brass Local Government Area chasing away voters.
In Ogbia, hoodlums armed with guns stormed the Registration Area Centre (RAC) for Ogbia Constituency 2 carted away and burnt the electoral materials meant for Ward two, three, four and five.
Eye-witness accounts stated that the gunmen in Opu-Nembe shot sporadically and warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from coming out to vote.
Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the violence that erupted in Ogbia Constituency 2, Ogbia Local Government Area during the State House of Assembly election.
Jonathan, who spoke shortly after voting at his Polling Unit 39, Ward 13, Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State while expressing displeasure with the burning of the materials called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators noting that such behaviour should not be condoned.
Governor Douye Diri in his comments over the incident who spoke shortly after voting at ward 6 unit 4 Kalama-owei wari in Sampou, Kolokuma/ Opokuma Local Government Area strongly condemned the destruction of ballot materials by suspected party thugs with active connivance of armed security men.
Diri therefore warned those behind any form of electoral violence in the state to desist forthwith as the full weight of the law would be brought down on them.
According to him his administration has made it clear that it abhors any form of criminality and would ensure the perpetrators are arrested.
On INEC’s performance, Diri commended the electoral commission for an improved process from the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly election on February 25.
“The voting process was quite seamless and very fast. So I believe that INEC has improved upon the previous election from what I just witnessed from my own polling unit in ward 6 unit 4 here in Sampou. Kudos to INEC for what I have seen today, “he said.
Also the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva who voted at Polling Unit 4, Dukuraku Central, Open Space, Okpoma, Ward 4, Brass Constituency 2 commended INEC for an improved performance especially the early arrival of electoral materials.
He however urged candidates and members of the All Progressive Congress( APC) to ensure strict compliance to Section 60 of the Electoral Act as regards collation and declaration of results for the State House of Assembly election.
According to him candidates of the party and members must ensure that the Presiding Officers declare the result at the various polling units before transmitting the same to the Ward Collation Centres for collation and declaration of results.
According to him the idea of bypassing the Area Council headquarters under any guise must not be condoned by the party’s candidates.
Sylva explained that the strict adherence to the Electoral Act was imperative to avoid incidents of manipulation of results by those desperate to foist themselves on the people against their will.
