By Emem Idio
THE State House of Assembly elections commenced on a peaceful note with large turnout of voters in the various units visited by our reporters in the state. Unlike the presidential and national assembly elections, the polls was relatively peaceful with few cases of hijack of electoral materials recorded.

An electoral official count ballots at a polling station in Kaduna on March 9, 2019, after Nigeria’s governorship and state assembly elections. – For the second time in a fortnight, Nigerians went to the polls to elect governors in 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states, all state assemblies and administrative councils in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to announce the results in a few days. (Photo by AFP)

As early as 7:26am, voters thronged the polling units and waited patiently for the arrival of officials of the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC and voting materials. Materials on officials were distributed early and voting started around 8:30 am in most units in the state capital and its environs.

A convoy of soldiers with red arm band on their shoulders were sighted heading out of Yenagoa at about 8am. The soldiers were later sighted in some of the communities visited providing security.

A near rowdy situation was brought under control at Odi Unit 3 ward 3 Ogboloma where a lady was trying to foment trouble when the solders arrived, but the presence of the soldiers ensured orderliness with voters casting their vote peacefully.

Armed soldiers were earlier sighted heading to Opokuma and Isampou road linking Odoni and Agbere communities in Sagbama Local Government Area.

https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2019/03/breaking-inec-postpones-elections-in-kogi/

Accreditation and voting was simultaneously done even as some voters chose to stay put after voting, in an apparent compliance with the call by the sundry political parties and candidates to monitor and protect their votes.The exercise was an improvement on presisential and national assembly polls.

However, despite the peaceful nature of the election and heavy security presence, there were reported cases of ballot hijack, vote buying, and voters intimidation recorded in Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Southern Ijaw, Nembe, Brass and other parts of the State.

Bayelsa REC monitors polls, reacts to hijacking of materials

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in charge of Bayelsa state, Pastor Monday Udoh, monitored state assembly elections in some parts of the state to ensure a hitch free exercise. Some of the areas monitored by the REC and his team include the state capital, Kolokuma-Opokuma, Sagbama, Ogbia Local Government Areas, among others.

The REC who spoke to newsmen said, he was at the Registration Areas Centres, RAC, to ensure that materials were distributed to the different polling units before 8:30 am, adding that voting began in some polling units as from 8:am.

Reacting on reports of hijack of electoral materials in some parts of the state, he said though he has also received reports of the hijack, however, said he was waiting for an official report from the Electoral Officers, EO, before any action can be taken.

He said: ” I have heard hijacking of materials as you have heard, but I am still waiting for the Electoral Officers to file his report as the basis for any action, what ever we have heard on social media can be orchestrated but the man on ground is the EOs, he has not filed a report to me but I will try to access the place, it is my duty to do that, I am going to find out from independent viewers and sources.”

Jonathan, wife vote in Otuoke

At Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Government area where the Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, voted at unit 39, Ward 13 at the Otazi Playground, there was a reported case of ballot snatching.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife voted at 10.30 a.m at Ward 13 which is made up of five communities, namely: Otuoke, Otuaba, Ewoi, Otuabula 1 and Otuabula 2.

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At unit 37, the Four Square road, an unadentified youth attempted to snatch a ballot box but soldiers on election monitoring chased him and he escaped into the bush.

Card reader fails to read Gov Dickson as he flay alleged militarization of the state

Bayelsa State Governor Mr Seriake Dickson has cast his vote in the State House of Assembly elections, in his home however, again, the smart card reader did not read the governor aa he cast his vote manually.

Recalled that the smart card reader failed to read the governor during the presidential election penultimate week and in 2015.

Addressing newsmen shortly after casting his vote at about 10:21 am at Oruerewari Unit 5 Ward 2 in Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area, Dickson while commending the peaceful atmosphere and large turnout, however, expressed dismay that the militarization of the State was however, hampering turnout of voters in most parts of the state.

https://newlive.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/1-dead-2-injured-as-thugs-attack-apc-rally-in-sagbama/

His words: “As you can see I have just voted as you can see a number of people coming out to vote. The slow turnout is understandable due to the militarization of the state. My card reader as you saw just now didn’t read and it has never read me since 2015, I don’t know whether it has been specially programme.”

Governor Dickson said that federal agencies deployed to the state are executing a premeditated to foist an unpopular political, party, the APC, on the state.

According to the Governor, reports at his disposal indicated that several PDP members were prevented from voting in various communities including, Peremabiri, Okpoama and Bassambiri.

The Governor alleged that the APC led by former Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, was resorting to brigandage because it lacked the support base to win election in Bayelsa.

The Governor, who described what is happening in the state as barbaric , criminal and undemocratic, flayed the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state for his failure to enforce the electoral guidelines.

He said that it was a sad commentary on the nation’s security apparatus that it had failed to carry out its constitutional responsibility to provide the conducive environment for the citizens to cast their votes to elect their representatives and leaders.

The Governor said that reports at his disposal indicated that soldiers carted away electoral materials in Epebu, Olodi and Ayakoro in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

While calling on the people to remain calm in the face of unwarranted intimidation and harassment by soldiers, he assured that his administration would take appropriate measures to seek redress.

Governor Dickson further expressed regret over the militarization of the Niger Delta states and urged all well meaning Nigerians to stand up in defence of democracy.

His words:”We have major challenges in this state arising from militarization and clear failure on the part of the agencies to do their jobs as it should be.

‘In Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw LGA, several peopple, almost a thousand people couldn’t vote as they are now IDPs hiding in Yenagoa and other places.

“Criminals supported by the Nigerian military services have held the community hostage. Some security personnel who managed to get to Peremabiri were turned back and you ask me whether we have a nation within a nation.

“In Bayelsa, enclaves have been created by federal security agencies in connivance with APC leaders coordinated by Timipre Sylva all with a view to making Bayelsa State ungovernable. I keep raising this alarm.

“In Bassambiri, PDP leaders and followers were pushed out by force and they are now IDPs in Ogbolomabiri, Yenagoa and other communities. This is because the APC knows that they are not on ground in this state so they want to win by force.

“I have just received an alert that in Ayama Cconstituency, military officials are trying to overpower electoral officers to cart away materials so that they can write any result.

“And the REC and his team in our state have not demonstrated courage, professionalism, competence and respect for their own guidelines, all because they want to crown APC in Bayelsa by force.”