Hundreds of supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic party, PDP in Bayelsa State on Monday defied the order of the Police high command banning rallies and protests ahead of the final declaration of the results of the Saturday’s governorship elections.
The supporters, young, old, men and women took to the streets of Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa state in protest of what they called ‘military hijack’ of the electoral process.
The protesters who carried placards and sang war songs, attempted to storm election result collation centre.
Messages on some of the placards read: “we need peace; we say no to evil; military, stay away from politics; leadership is about building, not destroying.”
Security agents stationed in front of the State High Court, had a difficult time putting them under check as the angry protesters insisted on going into the collation centre, dead or alive, to see INEC officials.
Not even reinforcement from operatives of the Nigerian Army deter the determined protesters who alleged that military operatives hijacked electoral process in the Southern Ijaw and Nembe local government areas.
As at the time of filing this report, senior police officers were still appealing and negotiating with the protesters who insisted that only INEC commissioner must come and address them.
The PDP candidate, Governor Seriake Dickson, in the results declared so far, has won six of the seven local government areas. His opponent, the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva has won in one.
The outstanding results are from Southern Ijaw councils which has over 120,000 registered voters and is said to be the stronghold of Sylva.
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