Follow Us on Google
The All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Mr Mike Bless Olomu, has complained about alleged attempts to subvert the electoral process in the area.
The Returning Officer, Dr Joseph Omoro, had declared the election inconclusive because of the electoral violence in the Edebeberi community in Sagbama Local Government Area which marred the voting process.
Olomu, who commended voters in Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency for coming out to vote, alleged electoral malpractices including not using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for accreditation.
According to him, a party agent fomenting trouble was arrested while a senior Police Officer who was carting away electoral materials was stopped by the people.
He disclosed that after Omoro had declared the election inconclusive on Sunday, reports reaching him indicated that he had been allegedly kidnapped and forcibly taken to Sagbama to declare the result.
He called on the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Army 16 Brigade to come to his aid.
“I want to thank the people of Sagbama/ Ekeremor for coming out to vote. It is unprecedented in the history of Bayelsa State that the youngest candidate for the House of Representatives seat emerges victorious in all wards. Unfortunately in my Ward, Ward five, the process was marred with violence. We have video evidence of the violence,” he stated.
“It has come to our notice that pressure is mounting on INEC to go and announce the result. I call on the IGP, DG SSS, Chairman INEC to please come to my aid to protect democracy. The people of Sagbama and Ekeremor came out massively to vote. I called on Nigerians and Bayelsans to stand to defend me. Bayelsans should come to my aid, they want to rig me out. Nigerians come to my aid. I am the only young Nigerian for that position. I am begging Bayelsans, the people of Sagbama/ Ekeremor, that an injustice is being meted out to a young Bayelsan.
“I plead with President Buhari who has decreed a free and fair election, the national leadership of INEC and the leadership of the APC to come to my aid to save me from this injustice. The Returning Officer has been kidnapped and taken to Sagbama to go and declare the result. The Police, 16 Brigade should rescue him.”
