No voting in some polling units

Some witnesses told the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja on Monday that election did not hold in their units in Ekeremo Local Government Area of the State.

Ms Sincomoh Tamaraugoubra told the tribunal that although no election was held in her unit 2, she was surprised to hear results announced and a winner declared.

Tamaraugoubra said she came to the tribunal to testify to the fact that she wanted to vote, but could not because election was not conducted on Dec. 6 as scheduled.

“I was not subpoenaed to come here, I came on my own. Although I did not see any result sheet, I heard results being announced in the various media outlets”, she said.

Another witness, Mrs Angozide Ediaemefa told the tribunal that election materials were not brought to her polling unit.

She said she complained to her party, the APC over the phone that no materials were brought to the unit.

Mr Francis Bosco also told the tribunal that there was no elections in his unit and so he and some other voters protested to the police.

He further told the tribunal that he was surprised that results were declared even though election did not hold.

Mr Kemes Oyatan, another witness, also told the tribunal that he did not see INEC official to complain to as there was no election in his unit.

He said that he, along with other voters, protested, demanding that the election materials be brought for them to cast their vote.

He further said he was shocked that even though election did not hold, results were announced by INEC.

Mr Perekibina Bariweni, the Collation Officer for Southern Ijaw Local Government, however, told the tribunal that a conclusive election was conducted on Jan. 9 in the state.

Bariweni said it was the results of the election of Jan. 9 that declared Mr Seriake Dickson as governor of Bayelsa.

According to him, there was no result for the election of Dec. 6.

He also told the tribunal that INEC had shifted from Dec. 5 to 6 but that on Dec.7 he was informed by his Electoral Officer that the election had been cancelled.

“I was not part of the decision that shifted the election; I was only informed by my EO that it was cancelled.

“On Dec. 6, I waited for results to come to the local government from the ward, but no results arrived because they were still being collated at ward level.

“I left and went to my temporary accommodation because the various stakeholders agreed that we commence collation the following morning”, he told the tribunal.

Mr Paul Okapikpi, the APC Polling Agent at unit 18 ward 2 of Ekeremo Local Government, said the election of Jan. 9 was conducted freely and fairly, and that in his unit, INEC officials and polling agents were all present.

Okapikpi, however, said he was at the tribunal because even though elections were peaceful, INEC cancelled the results.

“There are 35 polling units in Ekeremo ward and in the results declared in my unit, APC was declared winner.

“There was no violence on Jan. 9 and my party submitted my name as the agent so as the agent, I saw the result and I signed”, he said.

The tribunal began sitting on May 2 at the Court of Appeal premises, having relocated from its previous Nyanya location.

So far, only the petitioner’s witnesses have been called to testify.

Witnesses were called by the petitioner’s counsel, Mr Sebastine Hon.

They are testifying in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), and its governorship candidate, Mr Timipre Sylva.

Sylva is praying the tribunal to declare him winner of the Bayelsa governorship election based on the result of Dec. 6, 2015 election, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared inconclusive