The Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was Sunday elected for second term after he was declared the winner of the state governorship election with a total of 134,998 votes.
He defeated his closest rival, Chief Timipre Sylva of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who scored 86,852 votes.
The chief returning officer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor Zane Akpagu, declared that Governor Dickson, having satisfied the requirements needed and scored the highest number of votes is the winner of the election.
The outcome of the election, which was accepted by state agents of five political parties, was rejected by APC state agent, Barr. Dennis Otiotio, who described the whole process as a sham.
Otiotio criticised the chief returning officer (CRO) of INEC, Professor Zane Akpagu, for deciding to shun the various objections and petitions against the unlawful decision by the various local government returning officers to cancel elections in areas perceived to be under the control of APC.
He said: “Everywhere APC won, the collation officer was looking for a flimsy excuse to cancel it. The process must be free, fair and the procedure must be seen to be so. We submitted petitions but the electoral officers refused to collate them.”
Otiotio, who also tried to draw the attention of the CRO to the perceived refusal of the commission to take into account the total number of cancelled votes and the difference of the votes between Governor Seriake Dickson and Chief Timipre Sylva, was simply turned down with the announcement that the Final Result Sheet did not make provision for a column on cancelled votes.
Some APC supporters claimed that though the final result showed that Governor Dickson won with 134,998 votes as against 86,852 votes scored by Chief Timipre Sylva of APC, the winning difference of 48,146 votes when matched against the total number of cancelled votes (53,959) called into question the validity of the poll.
Our victory was painful — Bayelsa PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the people of Bayelsa State for their support for its candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson which led to his victory at the just-concluded governorship election in the state.
The PDP, however, said the victory was painful because of the number of those killed during the electoral contest.
“It’s painful that this victory has come with so much pain because we lost dear ones. Those who died are our brothers. So many are yet in the hospitals nursing life-threatening injuries because our opponents wanted to win at all cost. We wish to express our deepest condolences once again and to assure them that their death will not be in vain,” it stated.
In a statement by its Director of Publicity, Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, shortly after Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the incumbent governor winner, PDP thanked the people for renewing Dickson’s mandate for another four-years, attributing it to the “resilience and uncommon courage” of the people.
Obuebite said the victory was important because it came the way of the PDP even in the face of intimidation, tyranny, threats and violent attacks; he, however, observed that “despite the challenges, democracy won.”
He said, “We want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank all Bayelsans for their doggedness and patriotism because even in the face of such terrible intimidation and violence, out of their own volition, they came out to re-elect and return the countryman Governor to office for the next four years. We are grateful for your remarkable decision as expected in a democracy.
“The people have spoken and we are indeed grateful. It’s your victory, you the good people of Bayelsa State. Without doubt, a new dawn is here. Bayelsans, through their uncommon courage have defeated tyranny and oppression by voting for the continuation of the restoration of our dignity and pride as amply demonstrated through their votes.”
He said never again will Bayelsa State harbour criminals and rogue elements as contestants for power.
“Going forward, the Bayelsa political space will only be for those who have the intellectual rigour to trade their fine ideas in exchange for votes, not bullets. Our society must groom new set of leaders who will only access power through their superior ideas to regenerate society rather than through the barrel of the gun”, he stated.
Obuebite condemned the sheer scale of violence and mayhem that characterized the 2015 governorship election in Bayelsa State, saying it will go down in history as one with the highest record of casualties.
While calling for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the reported killings, the PDP condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones.
No celebration because of lives lost —Dickson
The Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has thanked the electorate for their gallantry in ensuring his re-election for another four years, but said there would be no celebration because of the number of persons killed in the process.
The governor, in an emotion-laden statement by his chief press secretary Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in Yenagoa, however, vowed that he would do everything possible to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
He promised to work tirelessly to justify the mandate given to him “as we tried to do in the first four years to almost universal acknowledgement and approbation.”
While extending a hand of fellowship to his political opponents, Dickson said since election had been won and lost, the needs of Bayelsans, the challenge of improving their material condition, was even more urgent.
6 feared killed as Dickson’s Victory Party turned bloody
The celebration of electoral victory by supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson, turned bloody with six persons feared killed.
The six persons were reportedly shot dead in a post-election gun battle between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of the PDP in the Peremabiri Community of Southern Ijaw area of the state.
The spokesman of the State Police Command Asimin Butswat, confirmed that the police had received the report of violence in the area, but he could not confirm the number of casualties.
Sources within the Peremabiri Community confirmed that two persons were killed in the fracas. Also shot in the head and left in a critical condition was the paramount ruler of the community, Chief Progress Neverdie.
Alfred Olotu, the cousin to the paramount ruler, alleged that a foremost militant leader from the community led armed men in the bloody battle.
Earlier, the state commissioner of police, Peter Ogunyanwo, had issued a statement appealing to supporters of the various political parties to celebrate their victories in utmost modesty.
Saraki condemns killings in Bayelsa, calls for probe
* Repay Bayelsans for their faith in PDP, Ekweremadu tells Dickson
The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, last night condemned the reported violence and killings of innocent citizens during the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State.
He called on the security agencies already mobilized to the state to quickly restore peace and to ensure that the perpetrators of violence are identified, arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President said it was unacceptable that an election meant to produce a governor for the state was turned into a theatre of war with attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.
“The sheer level of violence that has been reported following the conduct of the rescheduled elections in Southern Ijaw local government area is absolutely unacceptable. To descend to the use of force in a democratic process will no doubt negate and put a question mark on the outcome of the elections.
“I call on the security agencies to quickly end the bloodbath and also ensure that those responsible for the violence are arrested and prosecuted irrespective of the political affiliation.”
Similarly, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has congratulated Governor Seriake Dickson on his victory in the re-run governorship election in Bayelsa State.
Reacting to the final outcome of the polls, Ekweremadu said Governor Dickson’s re-election against all odds was sweet and expected given that Bayelsa State has witnessed splendid transformation under his government.
He charged the governor-elect to repay Bayelsans for their faith in the PDP and his leadership credentials with greater transformation of the state in his second term.
In a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, the Deputy Senate President also enjoined him to reach out to his opponents for the peace and progress of the state, while also ensuring that every part of the state is fairly treated irrespective of their political choices.
He said, “I commend the people of Bayelsa State for standing up to be counted, for protecting their democratic rights to freely choose their leaders. They have made a resounding statement to the effect that the state remains a PDP enclave and that they are committed to keeping it so.”
Bayelsa poll: Buhari, APC not disposed to free, fair electoral process – PDP
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party and indeed all lovers of democracy salute the people of Bayelsa State for standing against intimidation, rigging and violence to ensure that their will as a people prevailed in Saturday’s supplementary election.
In fact, the steadfastness and resilience shown by the people, particularly in Southern Ijaw will go down in history as one of the many sacrifices made to defend democracy in the land.
Rising from what happened in Bayelsa State on Saturday, it is very clear that the APC-led Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari is not disposed to free, fair and credible electoral process in the country despite being a huge beneficiary of PDP’s electoral reform.
However, by standing against intimidation and remaining resilient, the people have greatly contributed in deepening democracy in the country and by so doing ensuring that their own destiny is right in their own hands.
Bayelsa is a core PDP state and one wonders how APC thought it could win in this gubernatorial election with its discredited candidate, knowing the strength and popularity of our great party in the state, in addition to the record of achievements of our candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson.
The PDP however decries the desperation of the APC whose thugs and compromised security operatives openly engaged in violence resulting in the killing and maiming of innocent Bayelsans. We hereby demand a comprehensive inquest into these killings and that all perpetrators be brought to book.
Finally, PDP congratulates Governor Dickson for his well-deserved victory and statesmanship in handling of the situation in the face of provocations.
-Leadership/Vanguard
