Findings And Preliminary Conclusion On Bayelsa Election

As more polling units in the restless Southern Ijaw are set to open,
the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room issued a statement regarding
the general points of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa
state. The four findings included information from observers deployed
across the eight local government areas. The preliminary conclusion
has also been made.

1. Security

Although certain areas in the state had been previously identified as
high risk areas, security agencies (particularly the police) did not
deploy effectively to reflect this, making it difficult for the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be provided
adequate security to deploy personnel across the state. This resulted
in the failure of the elections to hold in the entire Southern Ijaw
local government area (LGA), as well as in polling units and wards in
Nembe, Brass and Ogbia LGAs.

2. INEC

There was late deployment of personnel and materials to various
polling units across the entire state. In addition, there were several
incidents of failure of the card reader machines to authenticate
fingerprints of voters.

Collation centre in Yenagoa is still empty. No information on the time
collation starts. Photo: @electmonitorng
3. Political parties

Political parties stoked the fires of violence in the state during
this election leading to incidents of violent clashes between their
supporters, occasioning deaths, injury and mayhem. The conduct of the
politicians defied their open show of signing of a peace accord.

The observers also noticed incidents where political parties also
brazenly dispensed cash to buy votes at polling units.

4. Electorate

Atmosphere of apathy fueled by the fear of violence and low civic
education was observed. There were also reports of voters who turned
up in polling units, actively receiving cash for votes. Situation Room
also received isolated reports of under-aged persons with voters'
cards in PU 06/03/07/010 in Opokuma North ward of Opokuma local
government area.

Conclusion

The group expressed concern about the lapses on the part of the INEC
and the security agencies in the conduct of the election. The lack of
synergy between two sides may have resulted in some of the challenges
associated with the election, including late delivery of materials,
security breaches and failure of election to hold in the identified
local governments areas, wards and polling units.

Situation Room called on the INEC to evaluate the use of card reader
technology in election with a view to improving on its efficiency and
effectiveness. The group was also disappointed with political leaders
in the state whose conduct, carriage and disposition encouraged
aggressive behavior and violence on the part of their supporters.

Situation Room further asked for investigation of all the acts of
violence and the arraignment and prosecution of all the people who
have promoted or carried out violence in this election.

The group noted that voting would continue in areas where they failed
to happen on December 5, 2015, such as the whole of Southern Ijaw LGA
and certain units in Nembe, Ogbia and Brass LGAs.

Situation Room is a non-governmental organisation and coalition of
civil society groups that engages the socio-political process in
Nigeria by initiating action for the resolution of identified and
publicized challenges.

-Naij