Bayelsa Poll: Gov Diri condemns disenfranchisement of Bassambiri votersBayelsa Poll: Gov Diri condemns disenfranchisement of Bassambiri voters

EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM, Yenagoa

 

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has  condemned the action of some individuals in Bassambiri community in Nembe local government area where members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were prevented from entering the community to vote.

 

Senator Diri, who stated this shortly after casting his vote at his Kalama-owei Wari Unit 4, Ward 6 Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area, expressed concern over the hijack of sensitive election materials at ward 6 in Sagbama local government area and commended INEC for taking prompt action.

 

The governor regretted that PDP members in the area were disenfranchised as they chased out of the community.

 

He noted that the party had written to chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take action.

 

His words: “We have concerns at Nembe-Bassambiri where our party members were stopped from going into their community. Our party has written an official letter to the INEC chairman to ensure that our people are allowed to go in there and vote. What we call for is a free and fair process where the BVAS is used just as l have done here.

 

“Special attention has to be given to Nembe-Bassambiri because every thing points to the fact that PDP members were chased out of the community.

 

“You know that we have been raising the issue of the violent character of the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva. Over the years, every election he is involved in experienced violence.

 

“In Bassambiri, the name and character behind the crisis in the community is Timipre Sylva. l do not want to have an overview of the APC. So we have to reduce it to the character of the person. Sylva has been a violent person in every election.

 

“If you recall, Chief Edwin Clark wrote an open letter on him and asked him why he has refused to change his forceful and violent way of winning elections. However, like l keep telling everyone, God is on the throne and that is why we are standing against him in his violent ways.

 

“You can also recall that his running mate in the election, Joshua MacIver, threatened the people of Twon Brass, saying that if anyone misbehaves, the person should be thrown into the Atlantic Ocean. You will agree with me that that pair is violent and that is not what Bayelsa State deserves.”

 

Diri who expressed satisfaction with the seamlessness of the electoral process in parts of the state, said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) made the voting process fast and seamless.

 

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure they conclude the election process with they way they had started.

 

He said, “Here in Sampou, I’m very satisfied with the process of the election and the personnel that are handling the process too.

 

“In any case what we ask for is a free process where the BVAS should be use just as I have done here today. Accreditation should be by BVAS across the state.”

 

His words, “I think this is an improvement of all the other elections that I have participated. It’s very seamless, very fast and if it continue like this then, I want to believe that INEC has improved on not only their facilities but also the training of their men that are handling the process.

 

Our Correspondent reports that the exercise, which witnessed a large turn out of voters in the areas visited so far especially in Kolukuma/Opokuma local government area of the state, was peaceful.

 

For a better society

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