From Femi Folaranmi (Yenagoa), Gyang Bere (Jos), Judex Okoro (Calabar), Stanley Uzoaru (Owerri).
The electorate of Bayelsa West and Central senatorial district trooped out on yesterday to vote in the senatorial bye-election across five local government areas in the state.
The affected local government areas include Sagbama and Ekeremor in Bayelsa West, Southern Ijaw, Yenagoa and Kolokuma/ Opokuma in Bayelsa Central.
The turnout was largely impressive and the exercise was peaceful but it was not without its drama as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former governor Henry Seriake Dickson and his wife, Mrs Racheal Dickson, had to wait after accreditation at his polling unit in Toru-Orua to be given ballot papers to vote.
Dickson in an interview commended the exercise noting that preliminary reports indicated an impressive turnout of voters.
He said: “As I voted this morning at my polling unit at Toru-Orua, I was glad to see that voter turnout was impressive and from available preliminary reports from other units and wards, there is indication of a massive and impressive turnout.
“I want to thank the officials of the electoral body for their professionalism and we hope and expect that this level of conduct is sustained to the very end culminating in a return.”
Governor Douye Diri who voted in his polling unit 4, ward 6 in his community Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area expressed confidence that the candidates of the PDP would make an impact when they are voted into the Senate.
Diri who spoke shortly after voting said Dickson and the party’s candidate in Bayelsa Central, Mr Moses Cleopas, a former PDP state chairman are incomparable to any other party’s candidate in the bye-election.
Meanwhile, tragedy hit the Nigeria Police Force on the eve of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial bye-election as three yet-to-be identified personnel of the Nigeria Police Force reportedly drowned on their way to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
The deceased policemen, were said to be on their way to the place of assignment when the boat capsized
The spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, SP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident said the boat capsized on their way to Oporoma, Headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and said they were yet to ascertain the number of Police officers involved.
In Plateau State, Governor Simon Lalong has said the All Progressives Congress (APC), will produce the state’s first female senator in the Plateau South Senatorial bye-election.
Lalong disclosed this yesterday while casting his vote as the Ajikamai polling unit in Shendam local government area of Plateau State.
His words: “This is the first time that Plateau State will produce a female senator and I believe that my party, the APC, has all it takes to do that. It is time for Plateau South to say thank you to the APC by voting Prof. Nora Dadu’ut because the zone has the governor, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, among several persons in the APC.”
Lalong said the election has so far been very peaceful with perfect security architecture on ground.
Similarly, Cross River State governor, Sir (Prof) Ben Ayade, and INEC National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, have expressed satisfaction at the voters’ turnout and peaceful process of the Cros River North northern senatorial and Obudu State Assembly by-election.
Speaking shortly after casting his vote at Kakum town hall, Ikpong, Obudu Local Government Area, described the turnout as impressive.
He expressed belief that his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), will win the election as political structure guarantees success for the party.
He said: “I am very impressed and you can see that even though it is still early in the day the crowd is huge. This is a very massive polling unit. It is at the epicenter of our ward and it is very huge. Judging from what I have seen at my polling unit, if this is the situation across the entire senatorial district, then we will have a very free and fair election.”
Speaking to journalists after observing the process in some polling units in Ogoja and Bekwarra, Okoye, said the process went as planned.
“I am satisfied with the way the process is going in all the areas visited and from reports received from other centers, the election is going on well,” he said.
In the wake of the confusion that has trailed the Appeal Court judgment in Owerri validating the All Progressives Congress (APC), Frank Ibezim, as the authentic candidate of the party for the Imo north senatorial by-election against Senator Ifeanyi Araraume of same party, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emma Okewulonu said he is undoubtedly contesting against two candidates.
Okewulonu while briefing newsmen shortly after casting his vote at Obowo, submitted that he is not afraid of contesting with the two candidates, boasting that he has done enough campaign.
He has also dismissed any court judgement disqualifying him from contesting the election.
“The drama in APC is worrisome, producing two candidates, I don’t know how it’s going to play out because I’m contesting against two candidates, but I’m not afraid,” Okewulonu said.
However, Ibezim told journalists that he would appeal against the perjury verdict given against him by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which declared that he submitted different names.