The Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Public Affairs has added his voice in support of the view that elections did not take place in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Mr Don Evarada said that “the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) rule says by 8am, materials have to be distributed, accreditation has to be done, voting has to commence and all of these, must happen between the hours of 8:00am-5:00pm.
“But in Bayelsa State, materials got to different voting centres at about 3, 4, 5 and some 6pm not to talk of voting in Southern Ijaw.
“All of these are abuse of the process alongside the total mayhem that was orchestrated by thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whom were heavily armed and supervised by the Nigerian military”, he claimed.
Mr Evarada expressed satisfaction with INEC’s decision to order another election in the local government, “In the first place, I think Bayelsans are happy because the right thing had been done in the sense that we are hopeful that the great people of Southern Ijaw will once again have the opportunity to cast their votes.
“But then, for that to happen, we have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the military, Police and INEC to act in good fate as provided by law.
“The PDP is prepared for these elections and above all, we want to have the guarantees that the Nigerian security is not going to be partisan as it was demonstrated by some folks in the previous elections and that INEC will conduct a peaceful election”, he said.
Judicial Commission of Inquiry
Mr Evarada also explained the rationale behind Governor Disckson’s decision to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the crisis in Southern Ijaw, a move which the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Timipre Sylva, has dismissed as unacceptable, unfortunate, and diversionary.
“In 2006, an enactment was made by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly which gives power to any Governor to form a Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
“It is on the guise of that, Governor Seriake Dickson had to form a Judicial Commission of Inquiry because we have it on records that so many Bayelsans were killed by armed men under the supervision of the military.
“The Judicial Commission of Inquiry will be inaugurated today (Monday, December 14) by the Governor and it has men of proven intelligence, integrity and impeccable character, High Court Judges and a retired Major General,” he explained.
