Governor Dickson casting his vote at Sagbama ward 6

*Early results indicate APC candidate, Sylva ahead of Dickson

The Governor of Bayelsa State and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, Sunday morning, reportedly forced his way into the collation centre of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Onopa, Yenagoa LGA.

The Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO) said Dickon stormed the place at about 11pm Saturday night and threatened to ‘deal seriously’ with agents of the APC, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, former Deputy Governor and Mr. Fortune Panebi, State Publicity Secretary of the APC.

SICO’s Director, Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba said the action of Dickson was clearly against the electoral law as he had no authority as a candidate to go to the Yenagoa Collation Centre especially as he was not from the LGA.

He alleged that the governor, who threatened to deal with the two APC agents, was at the collation centre to manipulate results being collated from different wards in Yenagoa.

He said: “The APC agents were said to have countered the moves by the PDP to manipulate the results that had been turned-in before some aides to the Governor alerted him of the developments at the Yenagoa Collation centre.

He said fresh reports further indicated that the governor early morning on  Sunday led a large delegation to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, to protest against the rescheduled election.

He said: “Governor Dickson is from Sagbama Local Government Area and has no basis going to monitor conduct of an election in another Local Government Area on an election day in line with the electoral guidelines.

“This is clearly an act of desperation by the Governor, who is the candidate of the PDP in the election.

“Dickson, in company of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson, who is from the LGA reportedly met with INEC officials on the ground and told them not to go ahead with the poll.

“The INEC officials had reportedly told the Governor, he had no powers to stop the election.

“Governor Dickson was the chief sponsor of violent attacks in most of the communities.”

Early results showed that the PDP performed badly in some of the areas it considered its strongholds including the neighbourhood of Government House, Yenagoa.

At the Peace Park polling unit 10 close to the seat of power Sylva polled 58 votes to Dickson’s 27.

Results from Ekeremor, Brass, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe and Yenagoa Local Government Areas showed that Sylva had pulled ahead of Dickson, although the governor was on top in Sagbama Local Government area.

Results from Ogbia LGA, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s council area,  showed a close race.

There was no election in Wards 4 and 5 in Ogbia council area following security threat by supporters of the two major contending parties.

Some of the unofficial results obtained last night were:

YENAGOA

Ward 5, unit 20: APC 63, PDP 100

Ward 2 unit 1: APC 19, PDP 14

Ward 2 unit 2: APC 27, PDP 23

Ward 4 unit 8: APC 250,

PDP 144

Ward 7 unit 12: APC 81,

PDP 41

Ward 4 unit 10: APC 250,

PDP 154

Ward 5 unit 2: APC 135

PDP 136

Ward 4 unit 11: APC 115,

PDP 98

Ward 4 unit 12 APC 343,

PDP 78

Ward 5 unit 3: APC 81,

PDP 136

Ward 1 Unit, APC 109, PDP 45

KOLOKUMA/OPOKUMA

Ward 3 unit 3 APC 50 PDP 34

Ward 10 unit 10 APC 102 PDP 58

Ward 10 unit 8 APC 85 PDP 65

Ward 10 unit 6 APC 58 PDP 41

Ward 3 unit 2 APC 13 PDP 12

BRASS

Ward 2 unit 6 APC 118 PDP 8

Ward 1 unit 3 APC 160 PDP 15

Ward 2 unit 15 APC 220

PDP 15

Ward 1 unit 15 APC 375 PDP 18

Ward 1 unit 10 APC 138 PDP 20

Ward I unit 12 APC 123 PDP 8

Ward 4 Unit 3 APC 285 PDP 2

Ward 3 unit 2 APC 298 PDP 12

Ward 3 unit 3 APC 210 PDP 3

Ward 2 unit 8 254 PDP 4

NEMBE

Ward 3 unit 8 APC 49 PDP 102

Ward 5 unit 2 APC 13 PDP 2

Ward 2 unit 9 APC 24 PDP 22

Ward 3 unit 6 APC 21 PDP 65

Ward 5 unit 1 APC 89 PDP 6

Ward 5 unit 7 APC 80 PDP 26

Ward 5 unit 8 APC 49 PDP 13

Ward 5 unit 9 APC 57 PDP 12

Ward 8 unit 25 APC 17 PDP 16

WARD 8 UNIT 20 APC 19

PDP 39

EKEREMOR

Ward 8 unit 31 APC 140

PDP 41

Ward 8 unit 32 APC 84 PDP 37

Ward 12 unit 10 APC 70

PDP 109

OGBIA

Ward 11 unit 6 APC 25 PDP 60

Ward 11 unit 1 APC 23 PDP 89

Ward 11 unit 11 APC 10 PDP 5

Ward 8 unit 8 APC 101 PDP 99

Ward 8 unit 9 APC 50 PDP 55

Ward 10 unit 1 APC 28 PDP 20

Ward 10 unit 2 APC 57 PDP 33

Ward 10 unit 3 APC 29 PDP 15

Ward 10 unit 4 APC 43 PDP 32

Ward 10 unit 5 APC 38 PDP 22

Ward 10 unit 6 APC 40 PDP 19

Ward 10 unit 7 APC 5 PDP 50

Ward 10 unit 8 APC 40 PDP 29

Ward 10 unit 9 APC 28 PDP 16

Ward 10 unit 10 APC 30 PDP 10

Ward 6 unit 3 APC 82 PDP 59

Ward 8 unit 18 APC 102

PDP 47

Ward 8 unit 11 APC 70 PDP 45

Ward 8 unit 7 APC 98 PDP 71

Ward 8 unit 16 APC 33 PDP 30

*Source: The Nation newspaper