The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared the Bayelsa State governorship election held on Saturday and Sunday inconclusive.
The Commission made the declaration on Monday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
It said with the inability to conclude the election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, it had no choice than to declare the election inconclusive.
Out of the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State, the election could not be held successfully in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
The Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Zana Akpagu, announced the position of INEC on Monday.
The incumbent and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Hon. Seriake Dickson, was leading before the election was declared inconclusive.
Dickson had won in six out of the seven local government areas, whose results had been announced.
Governor Seriake Dickson has a clear lead in the election, according to results announced so far by INEC.
Mr. Dickson, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, won in majority of the seven local government areas announced on Sunday by INEC.
His main challenger, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has so far scored the second highest number of votes.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Timipre Sylva, won in only one local government area.
The local government in contention is said to have up to about 25 percent of the total number of votes in the context which can weigh the result either side.
Right from the onset on Saturday, the election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area had witnessed violence.
Gunmen opened fire on electoral officials at the headquarters of the local government area in Oporoma, allegedly killing four persons.
This necessitated the shifting of the election till Sunday.
Even at that, the election was wracked by violence.
-Frontiers News
