BREAKING NEWS:::Findings And Preliminary Conclusion On Bayelsa Election

As more polling units in the restless Southern Ijaw are
set to open, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
issued a statement regarding the general points of the
December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa state. The
four findings included information from observers
deployed across the eight local government areas. The
preliminary conclusion has also been made.

1. Security

Although certain areas in the state had been previously
identified as high risk areas, security agencies
(particularly the policemen) did not deploy effectively to
reflect this, making it difficult for the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be provided
adequate security to deploy personnel across the state.
This resulted in the failure of the elections to hold in the
entire Southern Ijaw local government area (LGA), as well
as in polling units and wards in Nembe, Brass and
Of via LGAs.

2. INEC

There was late deployment of personnel and materials to
various polling units across the entire state. In addition,
there were several incidents of failure of the card reader
machines to authenticate fingerprints of voters.

3. Political parties

Political parties stoked the fires of violence in the state
during this election leading to incidents of violent clashes
between their supporters, occasioning deaths, injury and
mayhem. The conduct of the politicians defied their open
show of signing of a peace accord.
The observers also noticed incidents where political
parties also brazenly dispensed cash to buy votes at
polling units.

4. Electorate

Atmosphere of apathy fueled by the fear of violence and
low civic education was observed. There were also
reports of voters who turned up in polling units, actively
receiving cash for votes. Situation Room also received
isolated reports of under-aged persons with voters’ cards
in PU 06/03/07/010 in Opokuma North ward of
Opokuma local government area.

Conclusion

The group expressed concern about the lapses on the
part of the INEC and the security agencies in the conduct
of the election. The lack of synergy between two
sides may have resulted in some of the challenges
associated with the election, including late delivery of
materials, security breaches and failure of election to hold
in the identified local governments areas, wards and
polling units.
Situation Room called on the INEC to evaluate the use of
card reader technology in election with a view to
improving on its efficiency and effectiveness.

The group
was also disappointed with political leaders in the state
whose conduct, carriage and disposition encouraged
aggressive behavior and violence on the part of their
supporters.
Situation Room further asked for investigation of all the
acts of violence and the arraignment and prosecution of
all the people who have promoted or carried out violence
in this election.

The group noted that voting would continue in areas
where they failed to happen on December 5, 2015, such
as the whole of Southern Ijaw LGA and certain units in
Nembe, Ogbia and Brass LGAs.
Situation Room is a non-governmental organisation and
coalition of civil society groups that engages the socio-
political process in Nigeria by initiating action for the
resolution of identified and publicized challenges.