The incumbent Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson has stated that electoral irregularities took place in the Governorship election held in state on Saturday November 16.
Governor Dickson who rejected the outcome of Saturday’s election, alleged that it was part of the grand plan to enthrone a one party system in Nigeria.
The Bayelsa State Governor appealed for the protection of the fundamental rights of Nigerians as well as the democratic principles of the country as he described the Governorship election as one of the most brazen acts of distortion and rape of democracy.
He said: “This is not the first time that we are having elections. People were killed, some ripped open and thrown into the river and up till now no arrest.
“As democrats, we believe in using democratic procedures in challenging what happened in Ogbia. In Ogbia, there was no collation done.
In most of the areas, at the conclusion of voting, the soldiers came and rounded up everybody and forcibly took them to Ogbia town and asked all PDP leaders to leave to enable them replace pre-written results.
And so the results announced for Ogbia, like those for Southern Ijaw and Nembe were not real.
“What has happened in Bayelsa is one of the most brazen acts of distortion and rape of our democracy.
“What took place was not a democratic election. It was a military coup. It was the height of conspiracy by the federal government and security agencies to subvert the democratic rights of our people for the sole purpose of foisting the APC on the people
“It has never been like this before. In 2015, it wasn’t as bad as this. In this case, not only was the Army directed to take over our place, but to collude with the APC thugs to unleash terror on our people.”
Though he said he will set up a transition committee to work out modalities for smooth handover on February 14, Dickson added that claims of him alienating PDP stakeholders and former President Goodluck Jonathan was unfounded. He also disclosed that he visited the former President 16 times before the governorship election.
