Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State governor-elect, David Lyon, yesterday, received his Certificate of Return from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Lyon, who was accompanied to the Prof. Mahmood Yakubi Media Centre by his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieny, party failful and supporters, vowed to honour his social contract with Bayelsans to develop the state.
Meanwhile, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Monday Tom, said he fasted for 14 days for Bayelsa to have a hitch-free election especially because of the flood.
He said the release of the timetable for the election came with a lot of apprehension from different stakeholders as “their fears and concerns were hinged on past narrative of electoral activities in Bayelsa which was marred by violence, thuggery, killings and other forms of malpractices.”
Tom said the commission did not take these issues with ‘kid gloves’ but swung into action by engaging all stakeholders in good time before elections.
“With special thanks to the Almighty God, the election days (the day before, election day and day after) were dry and election held peacefully despite pockets of skirmishes in some areas. There was no loss of life and results from the eight local government areas were successfully collated and the winner declared,” he said.
In another development, family of the first civilian governor of Bayelsa State, the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has commended Bayelsans for voting out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship election.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Ebilade, second son of Alamieyeseigha, commended Bayelsans for rejecting the PDP and voted for Lyon.
“I told the PDP that their money cannot counter Alamcoism, which is the principle of the late Alamieyeseigha. People should know that Bayelsans are behind Lyon and even the court will do nothing when everybody is on the same page. The court is not bigger than Bayelsa State,” he said.
Also, Director General of Alamcoism Movement (AM) and brother to the late Alamiyeseigha, Ziworinten, expressed regret that PDP abandoned the vision of development laid down by the former governor.
He said members of Alamieyeseigha family and the AM were at the fore-front of support for the PDP government but they were let down prompting the decision to back the APC which has resulted in the victory of Lyon.
However, a socio-cultural group, Ijaw Leaders Forum (IJL) and a non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Good Governance (AGG) have condemned the outcome of the governorship election stating it allegedly falls short of required standard.
IJL in a press conference addressed by Kaiser Ogoriba, argued that the election was fraudulently conducted with deployment of heavy security to favour APC.
The group alleged that the security forces arrested those perceived to be working for the PDP but protected thugs and supporters of APC to perpetrate electoral malpractices including massive thumb-printing.
Also, Bunu Tonye-Jacob speaking on behalf of AGG told newsmen in Yenagoa that the election was marred with a lot of irregularities which could put the nation’s democracy under serious threat.
Regardless, the state government has set up a panel to collate data of victims of the botched rally of PDP in Nembe Local Government Area on November 13.
Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara, said the government has decided to set up an administrative panel to collate the names of missing persons, those who died from the botched rally as well as the injured for proper documentation and action.