PHOTOS: Allegations Of Federal Intimidation Surface In Bayelsa Election


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

Bayelsans troop out to vote their preferred leader today

The initial election held on Saturday, December 5, held in Southern Ijaw local government area, .

Governor Dickson and Chief Sylva go head-to-head in today's make or mar polls

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.

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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,

Also yesterday and they were transported to Yenagoa, the state capital for treatment.

To make matters worse, pandemonium also ensued

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Furthermore, 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.

Nigerian security operatives on election duty.

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

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 to the former secretary of the federal government, Chief Anyim Pus Anyim

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:

In a related development,

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