PDP governorship candidate, Mr Henry Dickson, casting his vote at Ward 2, Augalabiri, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa during the governorship election yesterday • Jonathan, mother, wife vote at Otuoke • Poll records low turn out • ACN ward chairman shot dead in election eve ambush • Boat hired by INEC capsizes with electoral materials
Early results in yesterday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State have placed the PDP candidate, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in the lead.
But the standard bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Kemela Okara, expressed optimism of emerging victorious in the election which recorded a low turnout of voters.
A speed boat hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to convey electoral materials to some locations in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, capsized yesterday, but there was no casualty.
President Goodluck Jonathan who is from the state, his wife, Dame Patience and mother, Eunice; voted in his home town of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area.
President Jonathan was accredited at 10:05 am at Unit 39 Otuabule, Ward 13 Otuoke and voted at 12:45 pm.
He told reporters after casting his vote that the election was generally peaceful, orderly and fair. "What we are seeing in Otuoke is the general picture across the state," he said.
On the low turnout of voters, President Jonathan said it all depended on individual’s mood.
Most voters, according to him, were unaware until late Friday that the election would take place in view of the court cases filed by some people against the conduct of the election.
He was optimistic that the PDP would carry the day and go on to execute development projects across the state.
He said:"You know that in Bayelsa State, there were some kind of challenges as to who the candidates are, and who is not the candidate up till yesterday, (Friday). Bayelsans were confused as to whether election would go on or not. But I’m a senior PDP member and I’m hopeful that Dickson will win.
"For the presidential election, Nigerians in Diaspora came home and they all voted. General elections always attract that kind of crowd",
The President returned to Abuja last night.
The PDP flag bearer, Mr. Dickson voted at Toruoruwa and described the process as peaceful, free and fair.
Mr. Kemela Okara, the ACN candidadte, also speaking after voting at Bomadi, said he has confidence in INEC and the security apparatus.
Okara who said he was yet to study the cases against the conduct of the election, however, noted that such happenings in the political process add to "the beauty of democracy. "
Bayelsa’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Edwin Nwatarali, described the election as free, fair and credible.
The Public Relations Officer of INEC in the state, Timidi Wariowei, confirmed the boat accident in a telephone interview at 5:35 pm but said he had no details.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, on Azikoro Road, Yenagoa is serving as INEC’s collation centre, with the Outside Broadcast (OB) vans of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) beaming the collation live.
The final results from the eight LGAs of the state may be announced this morning and the winner likely to be inaugurated tomorrow.
A ward chairman of the ACN, Mr.Tustom Ogar was allegedly ambushed and shot dead by unknown people in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on Thursday night.
Supporters of two political parties also reportedly clashed at Otorofane leaving six persons injured. They were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa for treatment.
But the standard bearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Kemela Okara, expressed optimism of emerging victorious in the election which recorded a low turnout of voters.
A speed boat hired by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to convey electoral materials to some locations in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, capsized yesterday, but there was no casualty.
President Goodluck Jonathan who is from the state, his wife, Dame Patience and mother, Eunice; voted in his home town of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area.
President Jonathan was accredited at 10:05 am at Unit 39 Otuabule, Ward 13 Otuoke and voted at 12:45 pm.
He told reporters after casting his vote that the election was generally peaceful, orderly and fair. "What we are seeing in Otuoke is the general picture across the state," he said.
On the low turnout of voters, President Jonathan said it all depended on individual’s mood.
Most voters, according to him, were unaware until late Friday that the election would take place in view of the court cases filed by some people against the conduct of the election.
He was optimistic that the PDP would carry the day and go on to execute development projects across the state.
He said:"You know that in Bayelsa State, there were some kind of challenges as to who the candidates are, and who is not the candidate up till yesterday, (Friday). Bayelsans were confused as to whether election would go on or not. But I’m a senior PDP member and I’m hopeful that Dickson will win.
"For the presidential election, Nigerians in Diaspora came home and they all voted. General elections always attract that kind of crowd",
The President returned to Abuja last night.
The PDP flag bearer, Mr. Dickson voted at Toruoruwa and described the process as peaceful, free and fair.
Mr. Kemela Okara, the ACN candidadte, also speaking after voting at Bomadi, said he has confidence in INEC and the security apparatus.
Okara who said he was yet to study the cases against the conduct of the election, however, noted that such happenings in the political process add to "the beauty of democracy. "
Bayelsa’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Edwin Nwatarali, described the election as free, fair and credible.
The Public Relations Officer of INEC in the state, Timidi Wariowei, confirmed the boat accident in a telephone interview at 5:35 pm but said he had no details.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, on Azikoro Road, Yenagoa is serving as INEC’s collation centre, with the Outside Broadcast (OB) vans of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) beaming the collation live.
The final results from the eight LGAs of the state may be announced this morning and the winner likely to be inaugurated tomorrow.
A ward chairman of the ACN, Mr.Tustom Ogar was allegedly ambushed and shot dead by unknown people in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on Thursday night.
Supporters of two political parties also reportedly clashed at Otorofane leaving six persons injured. They were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa for treatment.
Acting Governor of the State, Chief Nestor Binabo ,after voting at Okumbiri in Sagbama Local Government Area, enjoined Bayelsans to see themselves as an integral part of the democratic process, imbibe its core values and propagate them to the larger society.
No comments:
Post a Comment