Bayelsa Election Rerun, Tension Soars As APC Thugs Allegedly Snatch Ballot
The conclusive part of the 2015 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa state has commenced in the southern part of Nigeria.
The incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson will be hoping that his party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win in the dreaded Southern Ijaw area of the state, where the elections were declared inconclusive last year due to reports of violence.
Seriake Dickson and Timipre Sylva battle for the coveted governorship seat in Bayelsa state.
His counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, will also against all odds, attempt to claim the district which can all but ensure he is the winner of the election that has been characterised by series of violent reports in recent weeks.
The incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson will be hoping that his party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will win in the dreaded Southern Ijaw area of the state, where the elections were declared inconclusive last year due to reports of violence.
Seriake Dickson and Timipre Sylva battle for the coveted governorship seat in Bayelsa state.
His counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, will also against all odds, attempt to claim the district which can all but ensure he is the winner of the election that has been characterised by series of violent reports in recent weeks.
Elections will hold in 17 wards & 104 communities in Southern Ijaw where there are 425 polling units. The remaining 101 polling units are scattered across the state.
Meanwhile, there were report that officers of the Nigerian Navy on Friday December 8, arrested two suspected political thugs in the Peremabiri community of Southern Ijaw area.
The thugs were said to have been hired by one of the political parties to disrupt the gubernatorial election scheduled to hold today.
13.50pm: Security agents have reportedly arrested a fake INEC official at Famgbe, Yenagoa who was hired to help rig the election in the area.
He reportedly made confessional statement indicting some government officials.
13.45pm: Accreditation and voting has just commenced in PUs 01 & 02, Central Bomo Ward, Southern Ijaw LGA.
Meanwhile, there were report that officers of the Nigerian Navy on Friday December 8, arrested two suspected political thugs in the Peremabiri community of Southern Ijaw area.
The thugs were said to have been hired by one of the political parties to disrupt the gubernatorial election scheduled to hold today.
13.50pm: Security agents have reportedly arrested a fake INEC official at Famgbe, Yenagoa who was hired to help rig the election in the area.
He reportedly made confessional statement indicting some government officials.
13.45pm: Accreditation and voting has just commenced in PUs 01 & 02, Central Bomo Ward, Southern Ijaw LGA.
13.33pm: Reports say an APC supporter known as Ateka Ezekiel just ran away with the original election result sheets at polling Unit 6,Ward1, Southern Ijaw.
13.25pm: No election material or INEC officials sighted in the entire Polling Units in Oporomor V Ward, Ekeremor LGA.
13.05pm: Unit 1 and 2 APC agents just ran away with ballot box and other materials used and unused.
13.04pm: People at the 06/07/09/017 trying to force POs to start counting. Police officer calling for backup
12.56pm: An INEC staff reacts to the snatching of election materials by thugs of the APC.
12.45pm: Sporadic shooting disrupts poll in Amatolo.
13.25pm: No election material or INEC officials sighted in the entire Polling Units in Oporomor V Ward, Ekeremor LGA.
13.05pm: Unit 1 and 2 APC agents just ran away with ballot box and other materials used and unused.
13.04pm: People at the 06/07/09/017 trying to force POs to start counting. Police officer calling for backup
12.56pm: An INEC staff reacts to the snatching of election materials by thugs of the APC.
12.45pm: Sporadic shooting disrupts poll in Amatolo.
12.21pm: Naij.com correspondent on ground in Bayelsa reports that ballot boxes were hijacked in Unit 11 in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw and some youths have been sighted creating barricades to apprehend hoodlums who snatched the boxes.
12.06pm: Accreditation yet to start at West Bomo Ward, Southern Ijaw LGA
12.00pm: Election has been halted in PU06/07/01/006, Oporoma I, Southern Ijaw as a result of the APC agent who tore all the result sheets.
11.57am: Voting buying at PU06/07/12/016, East Bomo I, Southern Ijaw.
11.57am: Materials just arrived at the Olodiama II Ward, Southern Ijaw.
11.52am: In Ogobiri community, there is a gun battle between the military and the APC thugs. The military are reportedly in need of backup.
11.50am: At the Amasoma collation centre, Naij.com correspondent reports that accreditation and voting are ongoing peacefully and encouraging while PDP and APC agents are disagreeing over the mode of traveling to polling units.
11.38am: In Amassoma, in Init 21 Ward 9, reports say APC thugs have allegedly hijacked electoral and diverted to Iseleama Town Hall.
11.35am: Naij.com correspondent on ground in collation centres in Amassoma community, Southern Ijaw reports that INEC officials are waiting to be deployed to various units with transportation mode being the major challenge.
Some are insisting that they would travel by land and others by road. Security personnel also on ground to monitor the situation as well as the adhoc staff are looking dejected.
11.17am: Accreditation and voting disrupted in polling units 6, 7 and 10 Biseni by thugs.
11.07am: There are reports of thuggery in Ekeremor main town instigated by the minister of state for agriculture.
11.07am: There are reports that the aged people have been given concession for voting. Accreditation and voting are expected to end by 2.00pm.
11.03am: Elections have violent-free in all centres where rerun is taking place in the state but Naij.com correspondent on ground reports that INEC officials and election materials are yet to arrive some polling units in the river side of Southern Ijaw.
11.00am: Materials and INEC officials yet to arrive PUs 06/07/16/026-28.
10.58am: Accreditation and voting ongoing at PU06/04/02/013, Ogbolomabiri 11, Nembe LGA.
10.55am: Voting has commenced at Aleibiri Ward 2, Unit 4 and 5. Total number of registered voters in Unit 4=566; while Unit 5 has 396 registered voters.
10.54am: Officials of INEC and materials just moved to the various PUs in Central Bomo Ward, Southern Ijaw.
10.54am: Election officers experiencing a little shortage in ballot papers. But so far, the car readers have been working perfectly.
10.35am: Shouting match over locating PU in front of a local politicians house. Ward 9 Unit 1
10.25am: Accreditation and voting going on at PU06/08/10/005, 06/08/10/006 & 06/08/10/009, Ekpetiama, Yenago.
10.25am: Fracas in Amassoma RAC center between PDP and APC agents.
10.20am: Distribution of materials has begun in Oporoma of Southern Ijaw
10.21am: INEC has decided that accreditation and voting will go on simultaneously, so the electorates are going to carry out both concurrently.
10.15am: Very peaceful and orderly accreditation and voting going on in Ward 10 PU 7 Amassoma.
10.14am: JTF have reportedly blocked off Amassoma River to prevent unauthorized movement in the region.
10.00am: In Anyama primary school 4 units Anyama community, Southern Ijaw voting and accreditation started. Voters came out in large numbers. Speaking with Naij.com in the area, Commander Thomas, commissioner for Agriculture, said he is pleased with the peaceful conduct of exercise so far.
10.00am: Accreditation and voting about to commence in Amassoma.
9.50am: Voting abruptly stopped in PU06/05/02/001, Otuokpoti Ward, Ogbia as violence has erupted.
8:10 am: Voting and accreditation has started in Attissa 3 polling unit Ogbogoro community, Yenagoa.
7.00am: There are reports that violence erupted btwn APC and PDP supporters in Nembe and four persons were killed before accreditation started.
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