Bayelsa 2019 elections: Uproar as aggrieved politicians, party leaders disrupt stakeholders forum with police commissioner, INEC

Akam James, Yenagoa

Some aggrieved party leaders, stakeholders in Bayelsa State disrupted the town hall meeting between the leadership of the Bayelsa State police command, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and major political actors in the state. It was learnt that authorities of the state Police Command had summoned chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressive Congress (APC) and other stakeholders in the various political parties in the state to a meeting over the peaceful conduct of campaigns and elections in the state. The meeting was held yesterday at the police officers mess in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. The meeting which started few minutes after 11am was peaceful and coordinated for over two hours, not until some politicians from other parties stood up in protest against the convener over alleged non participation by others parties but only the two leading APC and PDP. According to one of the aggrieved persons, and Ekeremor/Sagbama Federal House of Representatives candidate under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Hon John Keme, said its wrong for a meeting convene for all political parties in the state is been participated by just two parties, the meeting has to be re-scheduled. “We are all here to participate to progress solution to the forthcoming elections in the state, and not just for the organisers of the meeting to recognize only two parties, the commissioner gives opportunity to only the leading two political parties and we are angry.” Another House of representatives candidate from Ogbia federal constituency on the platform of the ADC, Hon. Rex Ogbuku, noted that every election year the security agencies call for peace pact meetings for politicians to come and reason together but little or nothing has been achieved, adding that if only the INEC and police can do what they are suppose to do Nigeria and Bayelsa will have a better election. He noted that since all elections are local, the politicians should go to their unit, wards and constituency to campaign and buy the conscience of the people rather than resolve to violence and election manipulation. The Bayelsa West senatorial candidate on the platform of the APC, Captain Mathew Karimo, faulted the non appearance of 98 percent of candidates from the PDP and other serving lawmakers in the state, adding that he had a very important campaign but he shifted it to attend the peace meeting. He accused the current administration in the state of condoning and sponsoring violence against oppositions in the state, noting that there are plans of his arrest and adoption until after the elections to frustrate his chances of winning by the governor of the state. Earlier according to the state commissioner of police, CP Aminu Saleh, who called for calm and gave them opportunity to speak, said “It important we all call ourselves as stakeholders to stand discuss the way forward toward the forthcoming elections in the state, adding that that is the only way we can fashion out a way for a credible election in the state. Saleh, who gave the breakdown of the voting centres in the eight local government of the State as 2246 voting centre, with the final collating centre in Yenagoa local government, while 44 candidates from the various parties will contest the three senatorial seats, and 84 candidates for the five House of representatives seats. He noted that the doors of the police command was opened to all politicians in the state, adding that the campaign programmes of all parties should be made available for the command for the purpose of adequate security. In his brief, the Administrative Secretary of INEC, Mr Lebari Sampson Nduh, warned all politicians in the state that the Commission will not tolerate the use of bandit and political thugs in the forthcoming elections in the state, adding that if ballot boxes are snatched the area will stand cancelled.