Analysts say the cancellation yesterday, of the gubernatorial election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has huge socio-economic implications, particularly at a time the Federal Government is trumpeting change and seeking avenues to reduce the cost of governance.
They also expressed disappointment at the increasing cost of conducting a single gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, describing it as unwieldy.
Vincent Nwagbara, a legal practitioner and social commentator, said he was shocked at the level of violence and postponement of the election, the second time.
Nwagbara sais, “Nigeria is heading towards chaos if a credible election cannot be conducted in one state with all the necessary agencies deployed to the state. It means that the security agencies are going to remain in Bayelsa till the new date and INEC also will be spending more money. Why are we so wasteful in this part of the world?”
A resident of Yenagoa, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said it was becoming clearer to him that the Federal Government was not ready to walk its talk.
“I cannot describe how disappointed I am over the inability of the present administration to conduct a successful election. Imagine Bayelsa, a small state with eight local government areas is going for an election three times,” the resident said.
“Do we consider the socio-economic implications of this sham? I thought that the change mantra would have extended to conduct of elections; I also thought that a government that says it is interested in cutting down on cost of governance would do everything possible to be alive to its commitment. The postponement means more money to be spent; more violence, and disruption of governance in Bayelsa,” the resident added.
The reactions came on the heels of the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the basis of violence and ballot-snatching.
Announcing the Commission’s decision, Baritor Kpagih, resident electoral commissioner for Bayelsa State, who read a short statement to journalists at the collation centre in Yenagoa, said a new date would be announced for re-election.
Election results from Southern Ijaw with 120,000 registered voters were being expected when INEC canceled the election, saying it was sufficiently marred.
Sources from the area had claimed elections held in the night and voting was compromised by men in military uniforms, who snatched ballot boxes and other election materials.
According to unconfirmed reports, three persons, one of them a lecturer in the state-owned Niger Delta University, were killed.
The police had yesterday said claims of deaths were false, but failed to give reasons why the election was postponed till Sunday.
As at the time of the cancelation, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was leading with 105,748 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) had 72,594 votes.
Earlier in the day, placard-carrying women from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area protested the killings, violence, ballot-snatching and denial of their franchise, including the use of the military to perpetrate electoral fraud.
The police also promptly banned all processions, demonstrations and rallies while the election lasted, saying some disgruntled persons wanted to use such gatherings to cause a breach of the peace.
The PDP had called for the cancelation of the election in Southern Ijaw as a result of the unresolved issues, while correspondents and observers also said that INEC needed to cancel the election to save its integrity.
Zebulon Agomuo & Samuel Ese
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
