The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on January 9 to conclude the election it declared inconclusive.

The electoral body scheduled the conduct of the election after a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties who fielded candidates in the Saturday, December 5, Bayelsa State governorship election and the candidates who contested the election at the INEC headquarters on Thursday.

A statement by the INEC said elections would also hold at other Polling Units where elections were cancelled.

At the meeting, participants re-affirmed the commitment to the Peace Accord signed by all contestants and political parties at the Peace Summit held in Yenagoa on Tuesday, November 11, for the conduct of free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa state.

They also agreed to decentralise the distribution of sensitive election materials and called for the neutrality of the security agencies.

It was also emphasised that the lead agency in the election should be the Nigerian Police while the INEC was told to ensure the functionality of the Smart Card Reader to eschew glitches in the election.

The INEC on Monday, December 7, cancelled the election in Southern Ijaw following widespread violence, ballot box snatching and abduction of electoral officials.