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Sylva Says INEC Wrong To Cancel Southern Ijaw Election Results

December 12, 2015

Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Bayelsa State governorship elections, requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announce the voting results of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA), according to Premium Times.

Timipre Sylva, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Bayelsa State governorship election, requested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announce the voting results of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA), according to Premium Times.

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During the December 5th governorship election, the Southern Ijaw LGA was the site of the theft of election materials, voter intimidation, and the kidnapping of INEC officials.

It will be recalled that last week, SaharaReporters published a report detailing the conspiracy between military officials and APC leadership in Bayelsa State to rig the governorship election, particularly in the Southern Ijaw region. Thus far, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the governorship election, Governor Seriake Dickson, has claimed an early lead.

INEC set Saturday, December 19th as the date for a supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw LGA. However, Mr. Sylva, while acknowledging that violence did occur, claimed that INEC lacked the powers to nullify an on-going election.

"It is important to note that under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act of 2010 (as amended), there is no power either, expressed or implied that is vested on the Resident Electoral Commissioner, your commission or any staff whatsoever to cancel an election that has commenced or concluded, in any manner as was done in Bayelsa State," Mr. Sylva argued in his petition, dated December 8th, to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

Mr. Sylva did call upon INEC to cancel elections in the following LGAs; Ekeremor, Sagbama, Wards 4 and 5 of Yenagoa, and Wards 8,9, and 10 of Nembe.