Bayelsa: Jonathan’s Men Responsible For Bungled Election?

There are indications that former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s men may have bungled the Bayelsa state
governorship election, with alleged plans to do same in
the Rivers state re-run.

A source disclosed that the plan was hatched by ex-
militant leaders who have been beneficiaries of the
former president to teach the All Progressives Congress
(APC) a lesson, Vanguard reports.

The source said a very influential ex- militant who was
very powerful during Jonathan’s administration and now
being hunted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) was involved.

According to the source, a more violent scenario might
play out in Rivers state if Governor Nyesom Wike loses
his appeal and a fresh election ordered to hold.
The implication would be a looming fresh Niger Delta
struggle that might deplete the nation’s economy, the
source said.

The source stated that the propaganda being peddled has
been that APC was anti-Ijaw which was the reason the
federal government was going after Ijaws who served
under the administration of Jonathan.

The source however, said the real truth is the loss of
influence and the issue of the frozen accounts and the
investigation of allies of the leader of ex- militants.
Meanwhile, report has it that the APC may have literally
caged the elected officials on the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).

A source said many elected on the platform of the PDP
wh0o would have been very vocal in opposing the ruling
APC have kept mum, in fear of being witch-hunted,
except some like Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state,
who has no fear in voicing his opinion.

The source said with the way and manner the Court of
Appeal was going with election cases, it was better for
them to remain silent and continue with the job of
lawmaking.

A senator who spoke on condition of anonymity said:
“ The rulings in the Courts to frustrate elected PDP law
makers were alarming, look at former Senate President
David Mark whose case was not with the figures, but dates,
look at Anambra Central, look at Abia North, look at the
Taraba ruling and the removal of Senator George Sekibo, we
are worried and the ruling party wants to cage us, we are
afraid to talk, it may be the turn of another person. It is
better to keep quiet in this case. Look at Rivers, look at
Kogi, Bayelsa, we are afraid.”

The Bayelsa gubernatorial election which held last the
weekend ended in stalement as , INEC nullified the
election in the Southern Ijaw area due to violence, the
abduction of electoral officials and ballot box snatching
during the election.

However, governor Seriake Dickson, of Bayelsa State has
set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the
violence and a breach of peace that occurred before and
after the governorship election between December 3 and
6 in the state.