A cross-section of voters in Bayelsa State have expressed reservations over the alleged disposition of some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains to instigate violence with a view to rigging the November 11 governorship election in the state.
They claimed they were desirous of massive turnout of voters and credible electoral process, saying that information making the rounds that loyalists of the APC governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva, was allegedly plotting to deploy violence and parallel security agents during the polls was threatening the peace and security of the state.
One of the voters from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bolou Israel, expressed regrets that violence was the only thing that could be reportedly associated to a political actor.
“We have resolved to ensure that a proper democratic process is followed and that Sylva cannot force himself on the people if he is rejected.
“All we hear from his people are that we know Douye Diri is doing well, he has done a lot of projects to deserve reelection, but they sing it everywhere that they will write the results as if we are in a zoo country. How do you achieve that in this modern age”, he said.
Also speaking, Sinivie Akenge from Yenagoa, the state capital, argued that the forthcoming governorship polls was critical to the development of Bayelsa, noting that the state was making steady progress and that anyone plotting violence to cause problem was an enemy to the people.
He said, “We are calling on the international community to beam their searchlight on Bayelsa. The APC candidate is allegedly drumming songs of war. All they are telling their supporters is that they want to win by any possible unconventional means. The security must be on red alert and the people must stand strong to allow proper voting. We will defend our votes.”
Also speaking, Janet Tonworio, expressed misgivings at certain statements credited to the APC governorship hopeful that he was owed a second tenure and he must get it by all means possible.
Tonworio called on Sylva to simply present himself to the electorate and allow them to assess his administration as governor about 12 years ago, and his recent public service as the immediate-past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources if he impacted the impacted lives of the people.
“This election is clearly between the incumbent Governor (Douye Diri) and Chief Sylva of APC. One thing is sure: you can only rig where you are popular. Bayelsans have long rejected Sylva. We hear he is coming for a revenge mission against those who allegedly stopped him in 2011. This is 12 years after, he is still bitter. Bayelsa must stand strong.
“They want to preload BVAS and compromise INEC. The federal might won’t work, the President is a known democrat of many years standing. Our former President recently said that if you want to govern us, present yourself and if the people like you, they vote for you and if they reject you, you go back to your house or you go and do business”, she said.
