Bayelsa State Elections December 2015 Inconclusive - INEC Declares

.. Following the violence, ballot snatching and intimidation of staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) including youth corps members in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the electoral body monday announced the cancellation of the governorship election in the council, effectively rendering the governorship poll inconclusive.

Making this known at the collation centre in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Baritor Kpaghir, blamed the decision on the violence and widespread irregularities during the postponed election in the council on Sunday. Kpaghir said a new date would be set for the rescheduled exercise.

The election in the local government was initially shifted from Saturday to Sunday as a result of violence and the purported killing of some people in Southern Ijaw.

But the postponement made no difference, as the violence spearheaded by militants in the creeks was reported to have continued unabated the next day.

While more than 120,827 voters were registered in Southern Ijaw, Dickson had 105,748 votes while Sylva had 71,794 from seven of the eight local governments in the state.

Effectively, the large number of voters who had not exercised their franchise in Southern Ijaw rendered it impossible for INEC to declare a winner in the governorship poll.

Governor Seriake Dickson has a clear lead in the election, according to results announced so far by INEC. Mr. Dickson, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, won in majority of the seven local government areas announced on Sunday by INEC.