Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, took the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Army to the cleaners over their conduct during yesterday’s governorship election held in the state.

Dissatisfied with the electoral process, he called for the cancellation of the governorship election in some parts of the state where the exercise was characterised by brigandage, hijacking of electoral materials and electoral personnel by suspected thugs of the APC aided by soldiers.

He particularly identified Nembe Local Government Area where over 20 PDP faithful were allegedly massacred by suspected APC thugs during an aborted campaign rally of the PDP.

Governor Dickson made the call while speaking with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at Oruerewari, Polling Unit 005, Toru Orua in Sagbama local government area.

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“I call on the Chairman of INEC to issue an order cancelling the process in all the wards, in all the local government areas affected, in all the wards and units, where materials were stolen or hijacked, and where officials were kidnapped and held hostage to enable the APC cook up non-existing figures,” he said.

Governor Dickson reiterated that the APC is an unpopular party, and described what happened in the state as a well orchestrated plan by the APC-led Federal Government to foist a one party system on the country.

According to the governor, rogue elements in the Nigeria Army connived with the APC thugs to perpetrate electoral fraud and insecurity in some parts of Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Ogbia and even the state capital, Yenagoa.

“Materials meant for Eniwari community, Opuama ward, most locations in Southern Ijaw as we earlier predicted were hijacked. As everyone knows, the APC has no foothold in Bayelsa to win an election but they have an armed militia, surveillance contractors who kill and maim for the APC.  They also have the Nigerian Army and rogue elements of the Police Force working in concert with them to deny the citizens of these communities their right to vote. So as we are speaking, in our country, in this day and age, gun wielding militia men with the aid of security forces have overrun the election officials and most of the electoral officials in Southern Ijaw. The president has to wake up and do something. I call on the President to call on the security agents particularly the Army to stop desecrating democratic governance and subjecting the image of the country to ridicule. I call on the Inspector General of Police to be true to his professional calling and direct the DIG and all the security operatives to protect the people of Bayelsa,” Dickson said.