As controversy
sorrounding the postponed Southern IJaw Local Government Elections continues, a group of five political parties that contested the election has accused INEC of bias in cancelling the election on flimsy excuse of violence, intimidation and ballot snatching.
In a statement read before a group of journalists in Yenagoa, the party leaders said they had taken a retrospective assessment of the gubernatorial elections held in the state in December 5, and observed that certain highly placed persons had been making unguided statements aimed at heating up the polity.
They stated that the reported  violence during the election in Southern Ijaw also took place in greater magnitude in Ekeremor, Nembe,  Sagbama, parts of Ogbia, and Yenagoa, wondering why elections in those local government areas were not cancelled.
“Similar  skirmishes of hijacking of ballot boxes and undue intimidation of voters were also reported in Sagbama local government area, …. And other members of opposition parties were being beaten by members of PDP”.
A according to them, “there should be fair play in the way and manner Bayelsans should handle this election issue, because people’s future and aspirations are involved.”
“What is good for the goose should be good  for the gander, if the votes from the violence prone local government areas are to be cancelled, it is fitting and proper that the results from Nembe, Ekeremor, Sagbama and parts Yenagoa, and  Ogbia should not have been left out, since those areas recorded worst election rigging”.
While commending the army and police for the role they played in checkmating the banditry and political thuggery, the parties called for the redeployment of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner for compromising his position.
The statement was signed by Prince Silas Ikimi,  chairman of Africans Congress Party, who read the statement, Hon Hellen Okorodas, chairman of African Congress of Democrats, Hon Preye Julius,  chairman of Labour Party, Joseph Gerebo of Uited Democratic Party and Hon Lucky King-George.