Governor Seriake Dickson

Governor Seriake Dickson has, in strong terms, condemned the electoral malpractice and violence which marred the supplementary elections in Brass, Nembe, Ekeremor town and parts of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

In a statement signed by the Governor’s  Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the governor accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains of masterminding the killings of innocent Bayelsans in Brass, Ekeremor, Nembe and Southern Ijaw and wondered why the APC would kill to capture power.

While reiterating his earlier stance that the APC was not ready for one-man one- vote, the governor said the violence has also vindicated him on his earlier position that the security agencies particularly, the Nigeria military are partisan and not willing to protect the enabling environment for a free and fair election to take place. The Governor also accused the security agencies of providing cover for the APC to perpetrate violence and rig the elections in the state.

According to the statement: “To achieve their sinister plot, APC militants hijacked election materials and wrote results in many wards of Southern Ijaw, Brass, Ekeremor town, Brass while elections were disrupted in parts of Yenagoa and in a polling unit in Otokpoti, Ogbia Local Government.”

The governor called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to cancel the elections in polling units where the APC hijacked election materials and wrote  results.

Over 14 people, as contained in the statement, were feared dead, four of them are policemen, two soldiers and eight civilians in Ekeremor alone. Many PDP members were attacked in Brass and Southern Ijaw and are in critical conditions at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

The governor wept for those who were killed and prayed for the repose of their souls. While calling for the arrest of the perpetrators of the killings, Governor Dickson condoled the families of those who have lost their dear ones.

Governor Dickson thanked Bayelsans for reposing confidence in him and his government and expressed confidence of victory.