Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has condemned the action of some individuals in Bassambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area where members and supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were prevented from entering the community to vote.
Senator Diri, who stated this shortly after casting his vote at 8.40am alongside his wife, Dr Gloria Diri, at his Kalama-owei Wari Unit 4 Ward 6 Sampou community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, said the party wrote to chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take action.
The governor also expressed concern over the hijack of sensitive election materials at ward 6 in Sagbama Local Government Area and commended INEC for taking prompt action.
According to Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor in a press statement, Senator Diri said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) made the voting process fast and seamless.
His words: “We have concerns at Nembe-Bassambiri where our party members were stopped from going into their community. Our party has written an official letter to the INEC chairman to ensure that our people are allowed to go in there and vote. What we call for is a free and fair process where the BVAS is used just as l have done here.
“Special attention has to be given to Nembe-Bassambiri because every thing points to the fact that PDP members were chased out of the community.
“You know that we have been raising the issue of the violent character of the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva. Over the years, every election he is involved in experienced violence.
“In Bassambiri, the name and character behind the crisis in the community is Timipre Sylva. l do not want to have an overview of the APC. So we have to reduce it to the character of the person. Sylva has been a violent person in every election.
“If you recall, Chief Edwin Clark wrote an open letter on him and asked him why he has refused to change his forceful and violent way of winning elections. However, like l keep telling everyone, God is on the throne and that is why we are standing against him in his violent ways.
“You can also recall that his running mate in the election, Joshua MacIver, threatened the people of Twon Brass, saying that if anyone misbehaves, the person should be thrown into the Atlantic Ocean and that he would not the first people to die. You will agree with me that that pair is violent and that is not what Bayelsa State deserves.”
Giving his impression on the election, Diri expressed satisfaction with the process, describing it as very seamless and fast.
“This is an improvement on all the other elections that l have participated in. It was very seamless and fast and if INEC continues this way, it means the commission is improving not only on its facilities but also the personnel that handle the process.”
