The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa on Wednesday raised the alarm, alleging that some politicians and groups planned to breach the existing peace in the state.
Cheif Jonathan Obuebite, Director of Publicity of Gov. Seriake Dickson Campaign Organisation, alleged that All Progressives Congress (APC) members were preparing for a violent protest in the state.
In a statement, the organisation in collaboration with PDP, called on Bayelsa people, particularly small business entrepreneurs to beware of the protest as the protesters had specific instructions to unleash violence on the streets of Yenagoa.
It urged the people to take utmost precaution to steer clear of the protesters and guard against any form of molestation, pointing out that the aim of the protest was to create violence and disrupt the peace.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Monday cancelled the elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and declared the Saturday governorship election in the state inconclusive.
It said that the protests were to compel the APC-led Federal Government to declare a state-of- emergency in the state to make it impossible for INEC to hold the rescheduled election in Southern Ijaw.
According to PDP, the protests will create a stalemate until such a time that Gov. Seriake Dickson’s term would expire.
“We are calling on Bayelsa people, particularly business and shop owners to beware of these protests, as we have it on good authority that the protesters have been instructed to unleash wanton violence and mayhem on the streets of Yenagoa.
“The plan is under the guise of asking INEC to make haste to declare their candidate as the winner of the Dec. 5 governorship election.
“As the protest is bound to get violent, Bayelsa people are advised to take utmost precaution to steer clear of the protesters and guard against any form of molestation,” the statement said.
It, however, urged security agencies to swing into action to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
It also charged INEC to make haste to declare Dickson the winner of the governorship election, having won in six out of the seven local government areas, where elections had been held and the results declared.
Meanwhile, a civil rights organisation, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, has asked on the Federal Government to investigate the alleged role of security agencies, particularly the military “in the whole episode of electoral corruption in Southern Ijaw” during the Bayelsa State governorship election.
Such investigation, it advised, must also look at the role of the police high command “leading to such mind boggling violence as widely reported in the media as well as that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to unravel any complicity.”
The National Secretary of LDD, Ikechukwu Ikeji, who tabled the demands during a press conference on Wednesday in Yenagoa, praised the courage of Bayelsans by fearlessly standing firm to defend their rights to vote even in the face of intimidation by security agencies.
“The allegation of collusion by top officials of the army, police and those of the INEC allegedly corralled to do the bidding of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva is unconscionable because it sends a very wrong signal of possible annihilation of democracy and rule of law.
“Yes, the rule of jungle is anathema in a democratic system of government. It is clearly a dangerous step which calls for a thorough investigation by the Federal Government before it becomes a routine in future elections and in particular when the Southern Ijaw election is rescheduled.
“This is why we call on the Federal Government to properly investigate the alleged role of the military in the whole episode of electoral corruption in Southern Ijaw as claimed by Governor Dickson which would be in line with similar on-going investigation of the role of the same institution in the 2015 general elections in Ekiti and Osun States. The investigation must commence without further delay.
“Such investigation must also look at the role of the police high command leading to such mind boggling violence as widely reported in the media as well as that of INEC to unravel any complicity.
“We have looked carefully at the whole scenario and think rationally that the governor’s accusation is not without some substance. It cannot and must not be dismissed as frivolous as the APC, an interest party, in Bayelsa has said.”
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