The rerun gubernatorial elections taking place in Bayelsa state today, January 9, is the major topic of discourse in Nigeria at the moment.
Bayelsans troop out to vote their preferred leader today
The initial election held on Saturday, December 5, held in Southern Ijaw local government area, was nullified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Governor Dickson and Chief Sylva go head-to-head in today’s make or mar polls
The commission explained that the election was nullified due to violence, abduction of electoral officials and ballot box snatching in the local government area.
READ ALSO: Bayelsa Poll: Concede Defeat – Dickson To Sylva
Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had already won six out of the seven local government areas but the Southern Ijaw LGA has the highest number of voters in the state which is capable of changing the tide in favour of Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The competitive nature of the election has further increased tension in the South-south state as the re-run is expected to be keenly contested by both parties.
To buttress this notion, just yesterday, January 8, men of the Nigerian Navy arrested two suspected political thugs in the Peremabiri community of Southern Ijaw LGA.
Also yesterday, there was heavy shootout in Nembe LGA and three supporters of the PDP were critically injured and they were transported to Yenagoa, the state capital for treatment.
To make matters worse, pandemonium also ensued in Ekeremor LGA yesterday as some hoodlums attacked former speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Boyelayefa Debekeme and the chairman of the LGA, Hon. Billy Tobiye.
READ ALSO: Rerun: I Will Defeat Sylva In Free, Fair Election- Dickson
Furthermore,the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, was yesterday allegedly attacked in Korokorosie in Southern Ijaw LGA. Benson claimed that suspected members of the opposition threw dynamite that destroyed part of his house.
These incidents occurred despite assurances from the Bayelsa state police command that adequate police personnel have been deployed to the state to maintain peace and order during the before, during and after the election.
Policemen deployed for the election
Meanwhile, many supporters of the PDP have taken to micro-blogging site, Twitter, alleging that the Muhammadu Buhari government is desperate to install Chief Sylva as the governor of the state.
President Buhari and Chief Sylva
They have been tweeting with the hashtag #BuhariDecides as against the trending #BayelsaDecides. Their believe is that the president has already decided that Sylva will emerge as the number one citizen of the state.
Chief Sylva was appointed as the inauguration committee chairman of President Buhari when the president won the 2015 presidential election. He was a joint chairman with the former secretary of the federal government, Chief Anyim Pus Anyim (middle)
See some of the tweets below:
Let the Ijaw people vote in peace and let their votes count. It should be #BayelsaDecides not #BuhariDecides let us all #SaveSouthernIjaw !
— Nnaemeka Ezeribe (@utuakpa) January 9, 2016
I hope in the end it’ll be #BayelsaDecides and not #BuhariDecides. Hope is all one has these days.
— JoyceOdukoya (@JoyceOdukoya) January 9, 2016
If the APC wins the Bayelsa elections with just two LGAs Then we should await more political miracles in other states to come #BuhariDecides
— Otunba Babalola (@J_flicks) January 9, 2016
It is no longer the people, the constitution or rule of law that decide in Nigeria, but #BuhariDecides – the new lord of a Fascist empire
— GOD Bless Nigeria (@AriyoAristotle) January 8, 2016
#BuhariDecides to announce Sylva at all cost & damn the consequences.
— Adeyanju Deji (@adeyanjudeji) January 8, 2016
In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), have warned President Muhammadu Buhari and other relevant agencies of the federal government to desist from interfering in the supplementary election in Bayelsa state.
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