Catalogue of the Bizarre in Bayelsa, Kogi Elections
Nseobong Okon-Ekong highlights a couple of weird incidents that cast aspersion on the recently concluded governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states
Apart from the prevalent use of physical force which habitually characterise electoral processes in Bayelsa and Kogi states, other forms of notoriety assumed new dimensions in the governorship elections recently concluded in both states.
Both the electorate and key political actors deployed hitherto unknown behaviours to further the bad political reputation in Bayelsa and Kogi. Here are some instances:
Coffin for Opponents
During the series of public engagements to enlighten the public on their developmental proposal, the leading political parties in Bayelsa State routinely displayed a mock coffin emblazoned with the name of their opponent. It was an unambiguous message symbolic of the death of the party so identified. As it would later play out, it was also a clear declaration of intention to inflict maximum damage on their opponent. Little wonder that incidents of carnage were recorded during campaigns and on Election Day.
Down on His Knees
The whole country woke up one morning during the campaigns to an image of Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State tendering a passionate plea to the people of Kogi State on behalf of Governor Yahaya Bello, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was seeking reelection. Nigerians did not knkw whether to laugh at the ridiculous drama or be enraged.
The unexpected scenario happened at the grand finale of the APC rally in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. As the Chairman of the APC campaign team for the reelection of Yahaya Bello, the Kaduna State Governor went down on his knees, appealing to the people of the state to forgive their governor for his alleged many misdemeanor.
Expectedly, the opposition feasted on it, describing the sordid spectacle as an admission of failure by the incumbent governor.
The APC governorship ticket in Kogi was under so much threat that First Lady, Aisha Buhari also entered a personal plea for Bello. It was the first time, a candidate was being sold solely on the basis of emotion and not the strength of his achievements.
Kidnap of INEC Staff
Both in Bayelsa and Kogi, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were reportedly kidnapped during the November 16 governorship elections. In Kogi, the incident took place at in SUBEB polling unit in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The Bayelsa abduction incident affected four officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Boumodi, Yenagoa and Ologi in Ogbia Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State. They were later released.
The method of operation of the two incidents were similar: Armed youths suspected to be political thugs stormed polling units and fired gunshots to scare everyone. They absconded with electoral materials, as soon as INEC officials and voters took to their heels.
All Female Protest March in Opolo
The fracas in Opolo, Yenogoa on Election Day between youths loyal to the two main political parties, the APC and PDP, led to an abrupt end of the voting in the area. Thereafter, a group of young women from Ward 5 staged a protest march to the offices of INEC to register their displeasure.
Carrying placards with various inscriptions, venting their complaints, they chanted, ‘ we no gree o, no election in Ward 5,’ as they moved along the major road.
This group drew a lot of curiosity because they were all female and were determined to register their protest, not minding the presence of heavily armed security personnel.
Flood in Bayelsa
Tell tale signs of the heavy rainfall witnessed throughout the country this year could be seen everywhere in Bayelsa which is, q naturally a coastal terrain. In many communities voters and electoral officers needed to be ferried in canoes to reach their Polling Units, in order to take part in the election.
In Governor Seriake Dickson’s hometown of Toru-Orua, the local health centre, a building under construction, which hosted three Polling Units was flooded. Dickson and other voters waded through the flood waters to cast their votes. It was a scandalous situation because a few metres away stood what may be described as a multi-facility complex including a sports stadium, cancer centre, farm, residential buildings and offices of charity organizations dedicated to the governor’s parents. There were reports that a boat carrying four journalists covering the governorship elections nearly fell into a mishap in River Nun, but for the timely intervention of sympathisers.
N50,000 Bribe Money
At the State Collation Centre of the Kogi Governorship Election, many watched in astonishment as a Local Government Collation Officer publicly returned N50000 allegedly used as a bate to comprise one of his officers in the Polling Units. The dutiful INEC official took the money,, refused to do the bidding of the corrupt politicians who approached him and promptly reported the incident to his superior. The bundle of N500_notes was held up for everyone to see.
Fumbling Collation Officer from Dekina
The presentation of results from Dekina local government area of Kogi State exposed the fickle mindedness of the Collation Officer. Making a ridiculous spectacle of himself as he struggled to read the report before him, his stumbling and fumbling threw the gathering into laughter many times. In fact, after a long wait for him to get his act together, the collation was postponed till the following day, to save him from further embarrassment While one is not sure of the difficult circumstance that he experienced, the incident brought to mind a similar occurrence at the collation of the result of the presidential election in 2015 and raises many posers on the quality of the faculty in our institutions of higher learning.