A coalition of election observers accredited by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has alleged that the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa state was marred by violence and ballot box snatching.
Consequently, the coalition is urging the INEC to probe results of the election to ensure credibility of the poll.
Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend, the head of the coalition, under the auspices of Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Gabriel Nwambu, said the election fell short of the fundamental human rights of citizens of the state as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
Nwambu noted that in any democracy, the protection of rights of citizens is the primary function of the government and emphasised that what the coalition saw in some LGAs in Bayelsa state was simply an aberration to constitutional provision, which was grossly not in consonance with the provision of the Electoral Act 2010 as Amended.
“We observed that elections did not hold in some parts of Bayelsa State as it was grossly disrupted by violence, intimidation and ballot box snatching. In some instances, there was a complete absence of voting materials and ad hoc staff.
“On Wednesday the 13th of November, 2019, a political party was having a campaign in Nembe LGA. Some blood- thirsty gun men came to the venue and opened fire without any provocation whatsoever, killing scores of law-abiding Nigerians. The same gunmen prevented election from holding in Nembe LGA. Till the time of this briefing, there have been no arrests, no prosecution, thus increasing the impunity associated with committing such a heinous crime as the perpetrators are largely known and seen moving freely in such communities,” he said.
Nwambu further alleged that “in Yenagoa Ward 5, Epie 2 Ward 4, Apiffa 2 Ward 2 and Epie 3 Ward 6, elections did not hold, Nembe LGA was the worst hit in pre-election and election related violence. Elections did not hold in Nembe LGA and some parts of Southern Ijaw were completely disrupted with violence. There was no elections in Ekeremor.”
The coalition said it observed that in Ogbia LGA, results were largely written in the comfort of some people’s homes as several communities in Bayelsa state were sacked not due to flood or any natural disaster, but as a result of their affiliation to a particular political party.
Alleging that some territories were already apportioned and shared as certain areas were controlled by some militant groups, it said other communities were sacked due to violence as many who fled to Yanegoa town as the Internally Displaced Persons could not exercise their franchise.
“There is a disconnect between the security architecture of the 2019 Governorship election in Bayelsa state and the reality on ground as observed by our coalition as violent crime, conspiracy to sabotage the nation state of Nigeria was displayed without recourse to laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria nor the Fundamental Human Rights of citizens.
“In spite of this reoccurring decimal of violent crimes in parts of the state, the police as the lead agency for internal security has not provided the armed personnel within few perimeters from the polling units and points as propose.d This has further increased the snatching of ballot boxes across the state.
“The posting of police personnel for the 2019 General election had the mobile phone numbers of these officers and men attached to various polling units and polling points for easy access and communication. We observed that this was completely absent in the Bayelsa State Governorship election.
“Again, we observed with dismay the refusal and sabotage of the members of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) who collectively refused to convey INEC sensitive materials to the jetty where the military and their several gun-boats were already waiting for conveyance.
“Some highly placed individuals were seen moving with several escorts of military and police personnel when on normal circumstance, the securities of such persons ought to have been withdrawn until after the duration of the election.
“In furtherance with the enabling laws as Non-Governmental and Non-Partisan organizations, it is our collective determination to ensure that politicians who sponsor, fund, aide or abate violence would be made to face the full wrath of the law. We would report perpetrators of such crimes to various embassies of the world so that travel bans would be issued on them and their families. The embassies are already considering that,” it stated.
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