The All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Bayelsa State on Monday traded blames over the alleged disruption of inspection of materials used in the governorship election.
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to allow the PDP to inspect the materials.
But, the PDP Secretary, Godspower Keku, alleged that midway into exercise, some APC thugs allegedly disrupted the process.
The APC Secretary, Alabo Martins, in a swift reaction, denied the allegation, saying the PDP members, who embarked on the inspection, violated the order.
Keku said: “The PDP team, ably supervised by INEC officials, had successfully inspected election materials for the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) before the thugs invaded the venue.
“It was stated that while the PDP team was preparing for the inspection of Election materials for Nembe LGA, Otiotio-led APC thugs threw caution to the wind by disrupting the exercise.
“This has led to the decision by both the INEC officials assigned for the task and the PDP inspection team to suspend the inspection for today.
“It is worthy of note that the order by the tribunal on the 9th of December 2019 permits the PDP and INEC officials only to inspect the election materials.
“It is, therefore, a violation of the order of the tribunal and outright lawlessness on the part of the APC to disrupt the peaceful exercise.
“The PDP in Bayelsa has called on the tribunal to ensure that the order to inspect the 2019 Bayelsa governorship election materials by the PDP be enforced”.
But, Martin said the two female INEC officials who came for the exercise were overwhelmed with the number of persons imported by the PDP into an otherwise civil and simple exercise.
“Only six persons represented the APC as the PDP street urchins had a field day disrespecting in the glare of the whole world the tribunal’s orders.
“Unfortunately, our verbal protests could not make the PDP change its modus operandi, hence, officials of INEC had no choice than to suspend the exercise.
“We fear that the outgoing PDP government is set to destroy evidence of its defeat, distort sensitive electoral documents and tamper with same.
“In the circumstance, we appeal to INEC not to treat PDP’s conduct with levity and call the gang of interlopers and busybodies off.
“At the appropriate time, the APC, through it’s solicitors, will take steps to void the outcome of this contemptuous display of impunity by the PDP and their sympathisers.
“Having witnessed the inspection these past days from the morning to the late evening, we find PDP’s resort to underhand means in effecting the Order very disturbing. Let the truth prevail. The electorate of Bayelsa State have spoken.”
INEC’s Head Voter Education in Bayelsa Mr Wilfred Ifogha, absolved the commission of any wrongdoing.
“INEC’s position is to obey the order of Election Petition Tribunal by making available to the petitioner election materials used during the election for their inspection.
“Whatever claims and counterclaims that arose and disrupted the process yesterday should be better given by the parties,” he said.
