The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the just concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, on Monday said he would challenge the result of the election in court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had on Sunday declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and incumbent governor of the state, Seriake Dickson, winner of the election.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Sylva alleged that INEC and the PDP worked in concert to rig the election in favour of the PDP.
He said he had officially complained, prior to the election, that the present structure of INEC in the state would not conduct a credible election.
According to him, the INEC officials were assembled by the immediate-past administration to deliver the state to PDP in last general elections.
“I said in the beginning that I do not have confidence in the REC and the Administrative Secretary, that I do not expect a fair treatment if these people were to preside over the election.
“I said so over and over and over again. I even reduced it to writing, and we sent the petition. Usually before elections of this nature, INEC officials are switched.
“But this time, they chose to keep this team that was already in place set up by the PDP as rigging machine. This was the same team that returned almost 100 percent of all votes in Bayelsa to the former president.
“And we felt that these people could not have given us a free and fair treatment. But unfortunately, our cries fell on deaf ears. Yesterday (Sunday), they proved themselves true to type,” he noted.
Sylva argued that the election could have been further declared inconclusive since about 53,000 votes were still outstanding as cancelled votes.
He said in places where APC won, results were cancelled, but where PDP won, the results were entered.
The former governor further alleged the rigging started from the distribution of materials, noting that election materials were diverted as they were taken to voting centers by vehicles provided by the PDP.
According to him, the same set of collation officers, and other officers used in the December election were used on Saturday’s election, a situation he said aided the rigging process.
Sylva maintained that in any free and fair election in Bayelsa State, the APC would always win.
He appealed to the supporters of the party to keep calm.
Meanwhile, 14 of the 20 parties that participated in the election have advised the APC candidate to accept the outcome of the poll in good faith.
The parties, which endorsed the results of the poll, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the January 9 supplementary poll and called on Sylva to join forces to move the state forward.
The candidates in a statement in Yenagoa reviewed the circumstances which led to the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw LGA and the rescheduled election of January 9 which they said was successfully conducted in spite of pockets of violent incidents.
The statement was jointly signed by Edwin Tare of DPP, Alexander Peretu (PPA), Chief Inko Namatabe (NNPP), Prince Awotu (SDP), Prince Elemah (ID), Brisbe Kpodoh (ADC) and Abbey Daniel of APA.
Others are Williams Eperezi (UPP), Golden Maxson (KOWA), David Amabebe (DPC), Hendrix Ere (PDC), Isaac Eze (MPP), Engr. John D. Sokari (APGA), Gabriel Tukuwei (ACPN) AND Eneyi Zidougha of CPP.
The governorship candidates equally called on Dickson’s closet rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), Timipre Sylva, to accept the results and join forces with the winner to move the state forward.
“At this time in our development, we need ideas and partnership and not antagonism. We have to come together as one people to move the Izon nation forward. In every election, there will always be a winner and a loser. There is always a tomorrow”, they noted.
They unanimously stated that they were satisfied with the outcome of the election and have accordingly endorsed the result of the election which the incumbent governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson won.
“From all indications, the January 9 2016 re-scheduled governorship election in the state was generally peaceful as only minor incidents were recorded in just a few polling units across the state. We therefore commend all Bayelsans for upholding democracy.
“We equally commend the efforts of the INEC for their effort in the distribution of electoral materials to remote areas of the state and providing a level playing ground for all to come out and cast their votes.
“We are satisfied with the conduct of the January 9 election in the state and hereby endorse the results of same and accordingly hereby congratulate the winner, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson of the PDP on a well deserved victory.”
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