Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has broken the hegemony of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, by grabbing three National Assembly seats in landslide victories in last Saturday’s elections.

The first and only time an opposition party won election for National Assembly in Bayelsa was in 1999, when Mr. Emmanuel Diffa won election into the Senate, on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD), headed then at the state level by incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson as chairman.

In the results of the National Assembly elections declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the only lawmaker in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Israel Sunny-Goli, won election to represent Nembe/ Brass Federal constituency.

The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Lawrence Ohale, who declared Sunny-Goli as winner at Twon Brass, headquarters of the  Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency, said he polled 41,150 to defeat Mrs Maria Ebikake of the PDP, who polled 19, 279.

In Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency, Preye Oseke polled 56,804 to beat the incumbent Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson of the PDP, who polled 34,105 votes.

Related News

In Bayelsa East, former president Goodluck Jonathan’s senatorial district, Biobarakuma Degi-Erenenyo was declared as the senator-elect

Meanwhile, various political parties that participated in the election have commended INEC and security agencies for ensuring adequate security which allowed another political party aside the PDP win elections in the state.

The political parties, under the aegis of Political Parties of Like-Minds, noted that though there were still some challenges INEC needs to overcome before the next round of elections, they were not enough to affect the credibility of the election.

Chief Kenneth Gbalikumo of the Freedom Democratic Party, who spoke on behalf of other parties’ chairmen, said they were satisfied with the neutrality displayed by INEC.

He said: “We just concluded the presidential and National Assembly elections. Collation has been completed and results have been announced. We want to say we unanimously accept the outcome of the election.

“We commend INEC. The election was free, fair, transparent and credible. Though there were grey areas which INEC can improve upon, we, however, give INEC passmark.”