INEC Bayelsa stakeholders’ meeting disrupted as PDP, APC supporters clash
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stakeholders’ meeting ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State was yesterday disrupted following a clash by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC)
Trouble started when the chairman of Bayelsa Elders Forum, Dr. Francis Doukpolagha, who is a PDP chieftain in the state, said the last presidential and National Assembly elections in the state were one of the worst elections organised by INEC.
Dr. Doukpolagha had not finished his speaking when Dr. Dennis Otiotio, an APC chieftain shouted him down saying “you are lying” and was promptly joined by others in the hall, who blamed the elders of spoiling the state by not remaining neutral.
Our correspondent reports that it was at this point that the meeting, which had the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in attendance, came to an abrupt end.
The presence and intervention of the INEC chairman, the DIG Operations, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, representing the IGP Mr. Mohammed Adamu, and the heavy presence of police and DSS could not douse the tension, forcing the electoral umpire to end the programme.
The INEC chairman and other dignitaries, including top security agencies heads, hurriedly left the venue.
Earlier before the disruption, the police said they were deploying over 30,000 policemen for the governorship election.
IGP Adamu, represented by DIG Operations, Abdulmajid Ali, made the statement at the INEC stakeholders’ meeting in Yenagoa.
"We have made adequate deployment for the election. We are deploying no less than 30,000 policemen including other security agencies. It is our responsibility as police to protect the people, INEC officials, and election materials,” he said.
He warned politicians against utterances that could lead to breach of peace during the electioneering period.