Residents of Bayelsa state will today, Saturday, December 5, 2015, head to the polls to elect a leader to steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
Although there are other political parties involved in the polls, all eyes will be on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and their major opposition, the All Progressives Congress.
While the incumbent governor Seriake Dickson of the PDP looks like the favourite, especially with the huge support and accorded him because of the former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva will ride on his luck as a candidate with the ‘federal might’.
The tension in the state is already sky high, not only because it is an election day, but because of controversial events that have taken place in the state in recent weeks.
There were reports that the PDP’s chances of coming out on top were dealt a massive blow when some of its members in the present administration of Dickson openly declared support for the opposition during the APC’s campaign preceding the election.
And although it may have depleted the party’s chances further, the presence and the influence of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan is also one factor that may yet determine where the pendulum will swing at the end of the day when the election results would be announced.
Bayelsa has three senatorial districts, five federal constituencies, 24 state constituencies, eight local government areas and 105 Wards.
And there are 1,806 polling units across the local government areas in the state, available to the 663,748 registered voters in the state.
Based on gender distribution, the men constitute 54 per cent while women make up 46 percent of the voting population.
Observers, both foreign and local will now keep a keen eye on the state, not because an APC chieftain was shot dead recently, or because a aspirant under the opposition ‘wanted in’ at the PDP divide of the state, but because of the ugly incidents that trailed the recently-held polls in Kogi state, where Prince Abubakar Audu, the governorship candidate of the APC died after the election had been declared inconclusive.
Some were of the opinion that the late former governor must have been poisoned by some tops guns in the party who did not want him to rule again, but this was a mere speculation, as no autopsy confirmed the authenticity of the allegations.
This further makes the Bayelsa election a talking point with Kogi as a reference point.
Naij.com has a full squad on ground to monitor proceedings, and will bring you live updates from the oil-rich state.
15.40pm: At Ward 6, Unit 8, the INEC officials are waiting for 4pm to start counting the votes as all 213 accredited voters have cast their votes.
15.24pm: Voting is going on peacefully at Ward 6, polling unit 10 in Yenagoa. A total of 569 registered voters were accredited out of a total of a massive 1196 registered voters.
15.32pm: While voting has started in some units in Okpoama, some suspected thugs of the APC reportedly chased away PDP agents from Polling Unit 15, Ward 4.
15.31pm: Tension rising in 06/06/08/011 over a voter who attempted to vote a second time.
15. 26pm: Naij.com correspondent in Bayelsa can report that APC’s Sylva has cast his vote in his Okpo-ama hometown.
15.25pm: The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has called on all Bayelsans to disregard bulk SMS circulating around that the election has been postponed.
15.20pm: Timi Alaibe, a strong member of the APC has also cast his vote, among others who have voted.
14.45pm: Election yet to commence in Southern Ijaw owing to fear of violence by INEC staff. Also in parts of Nembe and Brass.
14.30pm: Timipre Sylva may soon come out to vote soon as voting has commenced in his Okpo-ama hometown.
14.10pm: Serious arguments at PU 01, 06 & 15, Oloibiri Ward, Ogbia LGA. Sources say it is about to escalate into serious crisis and assistance required from the Nigeria Police.
14.07pm: Accreditation has stopped at PU 06/06/11/002 Agoro Ward, Sagbama LGA due to faulty card readers.
14.02pm: Voting has commenced at 1.49am in PU 06/05/10/002, Oloibiri Ward, Ogbia local government area.
14.00pm: Voting commenced by 12 noon at PU 06/08/01/016, Attissa I, Yenagoa. Just 158 voters out of the 950 registered.
14.00pm: At the PU 039, Otuoke, accreditation has ended and voting has commenced.
13. 57pm: KOLGA Ward 7, Unit 10, Ekpuwari townhall. Registered voters 235, PVC Distributed 231 and about six underage voters reported.
13.40pm: Accreditation ends at Ward 3 Unit 5 Ewo-ama, Brass LGA.
13.15pm: Voting disrupted by thugs and INEC officials have taken materials to a more secure location in PU 10, Agudama Ward 10, Yenagoa.
13.10pm: Cases of underage voting have been recorded in PU 06/03/07/010, Opokuma North Ward, Kolokuma/Opokuma LG.
13.o5pm: Accreditation has ended in all 18 PUs in Imiringi Ward, Ogbia LGA except PU 016.
12.50pm: Election will only continue in non-violent areas of Southern Ijaw LGA. More security personnel have been deployed to the area now.
12.28pm: INEC Electoral Officer for Southern Ijaw has announced the cancellation of election in the LG. New date for election to be announced later.
12.00pm: Timipre Sylva and his wife have been accredited in his hometown in Okpo-ama. The APC candidate was accredited after the third attempt.
12.00pm: INEC officials held hostage at Oporoma headquarters of South Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa; heavy shootings witnessed.
11.49am: In PU 013, Ward 9, Ekeremor LGA, the Card Reader is not working and accreditation has been suspended.
11.46am: Accreditation suspended in Unit 10, Adagbabiri ward, Sagbama LG due to Card Reader failure.
11.41am: Naij.com correspondent on ground in Sylva’s hometown can report that the APC gubernatorial candidate has been sighted him and his wife as they are on the queue to get accredited.
11.40am: Wrong card reader delivered to Unit 10, Ward 7, Sagbama local government area of Bayelsa.
11.30am PU06/08/05/014,Suspicion of fake Voter’s Register which has led to disagreement between voters three INEC officials.
11.20am: INEC withdraws corp members following violence in Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state.
11.19am: Thugs disrupt election, cart away voting materials in Unit 4, Ward 10, Brass LG.
11.00am: Late of arrival of election materials at PU06/06/11/002, Agoro Ward, Sagbama LGA. Accreditation just commencing.
10.57am: Accreditation is going on with the ward 4, unit 5 in Yenagoa LGA. However, the card reader also cannot identify thump prints but can identify the voters card.
10.54am: Accreditation is ongoing at Ward 04, polling unit 02 Aruenghene primary school, Yenagoa LGA. Card readers also failing to read voters fingers here also.
10.42am: Former president, Goodluck Jonathan has finally been accredited after the card reader could not accept his date earlier.
10.40am: Security forces have taken control of the situation in Oporomo, Southern Ijaw. However, accreditation is yet to start in the area.
10.30am: In Okpo-ama Ward 4 polling unit, there are issues hitches as regards card reader not capturing finger print.
10.10am: Naij.com is presently in Okpo-ama area of Bayelsa, the hometown of the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva. He has been sighted already and will come out for accreditation any moment.
09:48am: Low turn out witnessed in places visited so far in Otuoke as former president Goodluck Jonathan is yet to be accredited.
09:45am: The former President Goodluck Jonathan just arrived his polling unit in Otueke to get accredited.
9.27am: At the Ward 4 Unit 14, Agudama Epie, Yenagoa. Polling officials arrived 8.20am, accreditation started 8.40am. 10 Policemen present.
9.26am: JTF calling for reinforcement in Southern Ijaw. Violent has re-erupted. 4 people reportedly killed
09.16am: 5 people reported killed in Oporoma LGA. All said to be ex-militants allegedly loyal to PDP.
9.10am: In Brass, the general observation is that the people are reluctant to come out for accreditation because they are feeling indifferent. The INEC officials have been on ground but the people have refused to come out.
8.40am: At Nembe village, INEC officials are not on ground while in Brass LG, accreditation did not commence by 8.00am as scheduled.
8.40am: Naij.com can authoritatively report that accreditation is yet to begin at any polling units in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital as at the time of filling in this report (8.40am). At Ward 1, Attissa, polling unit 11, electoral officers have arrived and are yet to set up or settle down.
8.39am: At the Ward 3 Unit 5, Swali, Yenagoa, there is no INEC official present. Security officials seen around the polling units already.
Residents arriving to check their names on the registered voters’ list. Photo: Michael Abimboye
Security operatives, including the police and civil defence are on ground. Photo: Michael Abimboye
Residents checking out their names on the registered voters’ list. Photo: Michael Abimboye
8.35am: Ward 7, Unit 16, Agbia, Yenagoa LGA . No INEC official present.
8.34am: Tables being arranged in Ward 02 of Brass local government area of Bayelsa.
8.30am: Shoot-out between rival party thugs in Nembe community which started last night still ongoing as at 7.30am.
8.30am: Ewo-Ama, Brass, Ward 3, Unit 5. Accreditation just started.
Police officers being deployed from Brass local government area. Photo: Michael Obasa
Some of the officers being deployed from Brass local government in Bayelsa. Photo: Michael Obasa
Some INEC ad-hoc staff being deployed to their respective units. Photo: Olufemi Ayodele
8.24 am: At Ward 1, Unit 16 Fagida voting centre, Yenagoa LGA, electoral officers have arrived here with materials. But there is a little controversy here as regards the presence of electoral officers as some are yet to arrive. Accreditation is yet to begin by 8.27am.
8.16am: In Yenagoa Ward I, there are problems of proper identification of the different PUs. Accreditation yet to start.
8.15am: Situation room reports have it that there is a heavy gunfire in Oporoma, Southern Ijaw LGA. Shootings started around 6.00am. Residents in hiding.
8.13am: Information gathered have it that the distribution started as early as 5.00am today.
8.08am: At the INEC distribution centre in Brass, the last team of Ad-hoc staff are being despatched to the field and are being escorted by security officials amid fears of ballot-box snatching in that region.
7.20am: Security agents have manned different parts of the state as the electorates have also started leaving their houses for the polling units.
Bayelsa Election: 5 fear dead as card reader rejects Jonathan again
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