• Blame Uncertainties, Legal Tussle — Jonathan
• ACN?Alleges Skirmishes, Shootings In Sagbama
MINOR skirmishes and low voter turnout were reported in yesterday's governorship election in Bayelsa State, a situation President Jonathan linked directly to pre-election uncertainties occasioned by legal tussles between contending principal actors.
Jonathan, who voted in Otueke, Ogbia Local Government Council, said reports from the eight local government areas of the state indicated that voters were less enthusiastic about the governorship election in which 35 political parties participated.
The President had arrived the Otazi-playground polling centre in Ward 13 (Otuabula), unit 39 in Otueke where he cast his vote at 12:50 pm. He noted that, despite political turbulence, the conduct of the election was generally peaceful.
Expressing optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Henry Seriake Dickson, would emerge victorious, President Jonathan said he expects good governance from the member of the House of Representatives.
Though the election was generally considered peaceful, National Youth leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the party's director of campaign, Ebikibina Miriki, told The Guardian, on telephone, that there was sporadic shootings in his hometown, Torufani in Sagbama Council, and some persons attacked with machetes.
When contacted, the Bayelsa State Police Command spokesperson, Mr. Eguavoen Emokpea, confirmed that there was a reported case of minor skirmishes at Torufani. But, at the time of filing this report, some policemen had been dispatched to the area to restore peace.
According to him, 10,000 policemen were deployed across the state to provide security and prevent any possible breach of peace.
Miriki lampooned the INEC for what he described as shoddy preparation for yesterday's election.
He also attributed the low voter turnout to the series of courts cases before the election and failure of INEC to display voter registers as prescribed by law before the conduct of the election.
On his part, the Congress for Progressive Change's (CPC) governorship candidate, Famous Daununigha, said he would not contest the outcome of the poll, irrespective of the irregularities he observed.
"Bayelsans have enslaved themselves by collecting stipends to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party. I will not say anything. I have fought for Bayelsa State, but, if the people want to continue to be slaves to the slave masters, it is up to them. I will not say anything until they realise themselves," he said. .
President Jonathan, his wife, Patience, mother and other aides were accredited at about 10:06 am at the Otazi playground. A total number of 124 voters were accredited in the President's ward.
Accreditation of voters across the state commenced early and, up to the time voting started, voters were generally peaceful.
On why there was voter apathy, the President explained that the
behaviour of voters generally varies from one election to the other.
"For the presidential election in Nigeria, most Nigerians in the Diaspora came home because they were quite interested in the presidential election and they voted...but lower elections in most cases don't attract that kind of interest. Probably that may be the reason," said Jonathan.
He continued: "You know that, in Bayelsa State, there has been some kind of challenges as to who is a candidate or who is not a candidate up to yesterday (Friday). Bayelsans were confused as to whether election will go on or not. Some of this affects election, especially those who will travel from very far places to vote."
Acting Governor of the state, Nestor Binabo, who voted at 1:48pm at Okumbiri in Sagama council area of the state, lauded the peaceful conduct of the polls.
Binabo said he was impressed with the conduct of the election, noting that there was a sizeable voter turnout in his community and there was no violence and acrimony. The Guardian, however, gathered that, due to logistic problems, voting materials had arrived Binabo's polling unit a little later than was expected.
Dickson, also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on the one hand, for early arrival of electoral materials, and the people of the state, on the other, for ensuring that the poll waspeaceful.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Olakpe, said voters had conducted themselves well, while miscreants were warned to desist from causing crisis.
The Guardian