Tension is said to be mounting in Bayelsa State as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rescheduled election in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
Daily Post reports that the PDP, on Sunday, December 6, expressed concern that the electoral umpire should have waited few days before announcing the rescheduled poll.
This concern was raised in Yenagoa, by the state’s acting chairman of the party, Chief David Spiff, during a media chat with journalists.
According to him, the electorates in the area who managed to escape after the heavy gun shots that reportedly took place on Saturday, December 5, in the area were yet to return to their various houses.
Spiff hinted that the party was very worried because the security of lives and election materials, which is responsible for the postponement of the poll, had not been addressed.
“From available information, majority of residents of Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Council and some other communities are still taking refuge in the forest and swamps as a result of heavy gunfire,” Spiff said.
The chairman further hinted that the security situation in the creeks and other neighbouring communities had worsened.
“It is, therefore, our position that adequate arrangements be put in place within the next couple of days to ensure security for voters, INEC ad hoc staff, including youth corps members and materials,” he said.
The state chairman urged security operatives and other relevant stakeholders to ponder on our “genuine fear so that the people of Southern Ijaw can freely exercise their civic responsibilities.”
Speaking also on the development, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, the national vice chairman of the PDP in the South-South, said the development in the affected councils area had caused delay in the commencement of the rescheduled poll.
The South-South vice chairman also stated that the situation can compromise the result of the whole election in the state.
“The concern of the PDP is that after the election, who will protect the results? What will happen to the NYSC members collating the results? Are there enough policemen to secure the results?
“This is the fear of the PDP and that is why we are saying that there is cause for concern in Southern Ijaw Local Government,” he said.
tion.
The scheduled election in Southern ijaw might not be unconnected with the reported violence that marred the exercise in the area. The development which called for concern among observes and stakeholders also drew the attention of the Nigerian civil society situation room monitoring the poll. They said politicians are majorly responsible for the violence that erupted from the election.