YENAGOA, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Amidst widespread violence, irregularities and clashes between the supporters of the two major gladiators in the Bayelsa rerun gubernatorial election, the exercise witnessed a large turnout of voters in the 425 polling units in seven local councils of Ekeremor, Ogbia, Nembe, Brass, Sagbama and Southern Ijaw.
However, there were unconfirmed reports that several persons lost their lives in the early hours of yesterday in clashes involving security operatives deployed to cover the election in Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Nembe local governments.
The report, which is yet to be confirmed, claimed that while five persons were reportedly killed in Nembe on Friday night, four policemen and two soldiers including six other civilians lost their lives in Ekeremor through violence.
Despite this reported violence, voters had started waiting at their various polling booth, as early as 7.30 a.m. while election materials which distribution began as early as Thursday arrived as scheduled in some polling units except for some areas which either the materials were snatched by thugs or had transportation problems.
In areas such as Ammasoma, Ogbia, Sagbama and Nembe, election materials arrived early with accreditation and voting completed before the 2 p.m. voting schedule.
Accreditation and voting were delayed in other areas including Ekeremor and Southern local government area.
Also some areas of Ogbia, Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw, people waited patiently for the arrival of election materials, others trooped out early and got done with the process of voting.
In Okodi ward in Ogbia local council of the state, with the arrival of election materials voting commenced immediately.
At Otakeme and Edema communities of Ogbia, election materials arrived late and tension gripped voters due to the delay.
At Ammassoma community where materials arrived early, voting was already coming to an end in some units.
Our correspondent observed that in Ward 11, Unit 14, voting was concluded early and counting of votes had commenced.
At the home community of the Bayelsa State Speaker, Hon. Kombowei Benson in Kokorosei and two others of the Southern Ijaw Local Government area, the materials arrived early and voting commenced.
But voters at Okoroba in Nembe local government of the state were not so lucky as election materials meant for their unit were hijacked by thugs.
According to the community, though only one unit was canceled in Okoroba community, the materials for the unit identified as Ward 11,Unit 13 was hijacked at the point of distribution by political thugs in the presence of security agents and the Police.
An indigene of the Community, Barrister Gift Douglas, confirmed that the thugs also attacked and beat up a traditional chief, Etulankimor Douglas Eteli, right in front of the Divisional Police Officer in Nembe Bassabiri.
“According to Douglas, “The materials for Okoroba community is now in Nembe and they are thumb-printing for the APC.”
In Ekeremor, there was pandemonium in the community following the alleged invasion of voting venue by armed men led a military officer who snatch election materials in the area.
The aide to Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Comrade Preye Amba, said the man was a serving military personnel attached to the 5 Battalion of the Operation Pulo Shield in Bayelsa.
According to Amba, “The PDP, in concert with one Major Umar from 5 battalion Warri came to carry away electoral materials from Ekeremor to Egbema Angalabiri. We have on record that the said major is on the payroll of a known ex-militant leader bent on bringing down the APC in Bayelsa State.
“We call on the military authorities to investigate the role of the said major because he took away the materials without any other escort provided either by the Police or the DSS.”
Election in Ekeowe and Famgbe communities of Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa Local Government areas of the sate commenced late due to sporadic shooting and security threats by armed thugs in the area.
As at 11:30 in Ekowe community in Ekeowe community of Southern Ijaw LGA, accreditation and voting was yet commence.
INEC officials were still at the ward headquarters, while materials were yet to be distributed following threats and intimidation from perceived political thugs.
In Famgbe community, armed men invaded the venue of voting and chased away the voters amid sporadic shooting.
Meanwhile, authorities of the Bayelsa State Command of the Police and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Lokpobiri, have debunked the claims by some PDP loyalists that there were heavy shooting in Ekeremor town that led to the alleged killing of two soldiers and two civilians.
While the Police through the spokesman of the State Police Command, Asimin Butswat, described the report as a lie, the minister through his aide, said though the claim had been cooked up by some PDP apologists, and that the conduct of the election in Ekeremor was peaceful, orderly and without violence.
Credit: National Mirror (Nigeria)
