2019 Election: IYC demands cancellation of Bayelsa results

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel results in some parts of Bayelsa State.

The Ijaw group told INEC that the Ijaws in Nembe-Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area were denied their rights to vote alleging that electoral materials meant for the area were hijacked by thugs in connivance with security agencies.

The Secretary-General, IYC, Alfred Kemepado, said violence was unleashed on the Ijaw communities adding that an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was kidnapped by the thugs, who frustrated voting in the area.

Describing the general scenario as monumental shame, Kemepado said it was shocking that some results emerged from Nembe- Bassambiri without voting and use of card readers.

He wondered why violence was the order of the day in an era elections could only be adjudged free and fair through the use of PVCs and card readers.

He said: “It is shocking in this era of card readers and personal voter’s cards (PVCs), where individuals are encouraged to vote for candidates of their choice that people can still primitively resort to terrorising and carting away both personnel and materials.

“We earlier warned that security agencies, especially the Nigerian Military were colluding with political thugs to perpetuate this fraud and jungle politics in the Niger Delta. We also said that they should be called to order by the Chief of Army staff”.

Kemepado alleged that the military aided political thugs to steal electoral materials in Bassambiri and to destroy already cast votes in Agbere and other Ijaw territories like Abonema in Rivers State.

He said: We call on INEC to cancel the election in these areas with obvious malpractice and reschedule elections that will ensure free and fair process only.

“Furthermore, whoever, including the Nigerian Military that has unjustly killed our citizens in the guise of processing elections would be brought to justice nationally and internationally.

‘We have reports of the murder of innocent citizens in the southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa State and some parts of Rivers State to deepen their intimidation of Ijaw people.

“The intimidation of Ijaw people has never worked from the times of the colonial masters and will never work no matter how it comes”.

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