PDP retains 17 as APC takes 4 seats in Bayelsa assembly
Akam James, Yenagoa
The National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the final results of the state House of Assembly election in Bayelsa state with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) retaining 17 seats while losing four seats to the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the commission preparing for supplementary elections in three constituencies.
The constituencies were supplementary polls will take place are Brass 1, Ogbia 2 and Southern Ijaw 4 constituencies due to alleged hijack of ballot boxes and other forms of electoral anomalies.
The result shows that the APC which had only one seat in the state House of Assembly in 2015, has increased the number to four out of the 24 – member state assembly.
Among those who emerged as APC state legislators – elect are Wilson Ayakpo (Ekeremor 2); Edward Irigha (Nembe 2); Douglas Samson (Nembe 3) and Ominous Ayonatimiyo (Brass 2).
The PDP however, returned four members of the state House of Assembly, including the Deputy Speaker, Abraham Ngobere (Brass 3) and Tonye Isenah (Kolga 2) for a third term while the duo of Ben Ololo (Nembe 1) and Koku Obiya (Yenagoa 2) were returned for a second term.
The newly elected PDP legislators include, the former Chairman of the Ijaw Youths Council (Central Zone), Tare Porri; the former Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council and Special Adviser to Bayelsa governor on Oil and Gas, Bonny Ayah.
INEC Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity in the state, Wilfred Ifogah, has explained why the the electoral body declared elections in the three constituencies inconclusive, adding that polls in the affected areas didn’t follow INEC’s regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the general elections.
He stated that 21 results were fully declared and winners returned while three were declared inconclusive with due reference to INEC regulations and guidelines for the conduct of 2019 general elections.
Ifogah added that the commission would in due time inform stakeholders in the state of the new date when the supplementary elections would be conducted in the three affected constituencies.
Meanwhile, APC supporters in Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 have expressed confidence in winning the expected supplementary poll due to the 2, 501 vote lead its candidate, Dr. Selekaye Victor-Ben had polled in Olodiama 1, 2, Apoi and Foropa wards.
