Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the results of the House of Assembly election which showed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is retaining its dominance in the politics of the state.
A breakdown of the result indicated that the PDP won 17 seats of the 24 while the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had four seats.
The 17 PDP member-elect include Hon Abraham Inogbere (Brass constituency 3), Hon Tonye Isenah ( Kolokuma/Opokuma 2), Hon Ebi Ben Ololo(Nembe 1) Hon Koku Obiyai (Yenagoa 2).
Others are Obodor Mietema (Ogbia 1) Hon Ogbere Michael (Ekeremor 3) Hon Kenebai Bernard ( Sagbama 11) Hon Salo Adikumo (Sagbama 111) and Obolo Bubou (Southern Ijaw 11) Onyike Godbless (Sagbama 1), Ayah Bonny (Southern Ijaw 1) Malon Moses (Southern Ijaw 111) Oforji Oboku (Yenagoa 1) Elemefuro Teddy (Yenagoa 111) Tare Porri(Ekeremor 1) Fafi Wisdom (Kolokua/ Opokuma 11) and Naomi Ogoli (Ogbia 111).
The APC elected members are Omubo Ayonatiminyo (Brass 11) Edward Irigha (Nembe 2) Douglas Sampson (Nembe 111) and Wilson Ayakpo(Ekeremor 11) .
Mr Wilfred Ifogah, INEC Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity in the state while speaking on the results say three constituencies, Brass 1, Ogbia 2 and Southern Ijaw 4 were declared inconclusive for failure to adhere to INEC regulations and guidelines for the conduct of 2019 general elections.
Meanwhile the APC, Bayelsa State chapter has commended Bayelsans for voting overwhelmingly “for our party, and defending the votes.”
The party in a statement by its publicity secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, noted that “what transpired in this election shows clearly that all along, the people have been robbed of the right to choose the leader they desire.”
According to him, the party is thankful that “despite the intimidation, lies and fake news employed by Governor Henry, Seriake Dickson and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the people stood with the APC.”
Buokoribo who stated that the party would have rejected the results in several parts of the state where there were glaring cases of electoral fraud perpetrated by the PDP, added that rejecting the results would serve no useful purpose but only heat up the polity.