Bayelsa: ACN, LP, others call for cancellation of results Says REC must go

THE Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Bayelsa State, Mr Edwin Nwatalari, on Sunday, came under fire, as opposition parties, including the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Labour Party (LP), called for his immediate removal, over alleged irregularities recorded during the conduct of the National Assembly election, on Saturday.Protesting the conduct of the election, members of the opposition parties stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) secretariat, submitting that election did not hold in six local government areas of the state.This is even as they said the results released by INEC, which saw the emergence of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner in Kolokuma/Opokuma/Yenagoa Federal constituency was characterised by irregularities.Protesters, led by the gubernatorial candidate of the ACN, Dr Imoro Kubo and chieftains of the LP, lamented the use of security operatives and ex-militant leaders to intimidate as well as hijack election materials, especially in Southern/Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.The chairman of the LP, Addo Badou, accused the PDP-led government of using the instrument of office to manipulate votes in the state, adding that the whole essence of having credible election had been defeated.Calling for the outright cancellation of the result, the protesters said this would be in the best interest of the people of the state, adding that in Ammasoma and some parts of southern Ijaw, the INEC officials took materials to some places without result sheets.Reacting to the development, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Nath Egba, described the allegation levelled against government officials as unfortunate and unfounded.He said that instead of protesting, they should collate their evidence and in readiness for the tribunal that will hear their cases.
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