Tension in Bayelsa as INEC upturns result of Assembly poll

Tension is brewing in Bayelsa State, following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upturn the result declared by the Presiding Officer, Perekemor Bathola in last Saturday’s rescheduled House of Assembly election in Brass constituency 2.

The presiding officer is a lecturer in Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University, NDU.

The result he declared on Sunday morning had indicated that the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Alfred Watson won the election, polling 849 votes out of the 2,805 accredited voters. The PDP candidate scored 380 and APC scored 476 votes.

But in a sudden twist, the Public Relations Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa State, Timidity Wariowe, issued a statement declaring  the election in Brass constituency 2  inconclusive .

The statement said:  “The suspension of the result was due to the conflicting declarations by the Returning Officer and the circumstances surrounding the declaration. The reports by the Returning Officer  have been compiled for the attention and further directives of the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.”

However, the supporters of the APGA candidate, Alfred Watson, described the action of the INEC as shameful, accusing the commission of being manipulated by the administration of Seriake Dickson in the State.