Bayelsa poll: Politicians urge contestants to abide by INEC’s guidelines

Some politicians on Friday urged contestants in the Bayelsa governorship supplemetary election to adhere to the electoral rules and guidelines for a hitch- free exercise.

The politicians told reporter in a separate interviews in Lagos that strict adherence to the rules guiding the electoral process would help to avert violence.

Dr Yunusa Tanko, the National Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP), in an interview with reporter, urged the Idependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide a level playing ground for all contestants.

“Open transparency to all is the key issue. For example, when you bring in materials for the election, ensure that all the contesting political parties have authentic information as regards the to the materials that are being brought.

“And at the time in which they are being brought; publicise it. That will build confidence.

“When you bring in security apparatus to come and look and provide security for the election, ensure that every political party that is contesting have access to those particular security agencies.

“Ensure that the voters register and everything is clean as possible so that everybody that has registered can easily see his or her own name.

“Make logistics easy for both INEC and the security men, ensure the NYSC people who are going to work are remunerated accordingly; that way it would deter them from collecting money or being bribed.

“INEC should not be partisan so that by the time a winner emerges, all of us will embrace each other and be sure that the election was free and fair.’’

In a separate interview with NAN, Chief Olatunji Shellehe, Lagos State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), advised the commission to resist external interference in the discharge of its responsibility.

“My advice first goes to the politicians that they should conduct themselves properly, follow INEC’s guidelines; there should be no violence.

“People from Abuja should not come and interfere with the election in Bayelsa State; the few areas where they are going to hold election now are riverine areas that are not accessible to everybody. They will need a lot of policing.

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“On the part of INEC, it should be seen to conduct the election properly, they shouldn’t take sides, they have a very small area to cover.

“Though the terrain is bad, there is a lot they can do.

“Every result at every polling booth can be documented therein and sent to the collation centre on time.

“Let them go strictly by the card readers they have promised that they will use, whosoever does not have a voter card should not be allowed to vote so that everything can go on peacefully.’’

Also speaking in an interview with NAN, Mr Abiodun Salami, the Lagos State Assistant Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed the hope that the electorate will show sincerity in their voting.

“From INEC, I expect transparency and from voters not just politicians in Bayelsa State I expect honesty and sincerity so that everything can go peacefully for a winner to emerge in accordance with the tenets of democracy.’’

National Daily reports that the supplementary election would only hold in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state where INEC cancelled the exercise owing to eruption of violence.

In the Dec. 5 election, the PDP governorship candidate, Mr Seriake Dickson, was leading in the six out of the seven local governments whose results were declared by INEC while the APC candidate won in only one local government.

The election was inclusive because the Southern Ijaw Local Government has the largest number of polling stations and the results from the area could determine the winner of the election.