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Tag: bayelsa

  • Bayelsa guber: PDP commences voters accreditation

    Delegates have started accreditation as part of preparations to cast their votes at the ongoing governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) in Bayelsa State.

    The Ijaw House at Sani Abacha expressway, Yenagoa, later adopted as the venue of the primaries, had been cordoned off with security tightened around the building.

    The delegates were thoroughly searched before they were allowed access to the building.

    They were driven into the premises on buses according to their local government areas

  • Bayelsa guber poll will be free, fair – INEC

    Bayelsa guber poll will be free, fair – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared its readiness to conduct credible, free and fair governorship election in Bayelsa State on November 16.
    Speaking in Yenagoa during a meeting with Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to adopt alternative dispute resolutions on electoral matters, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Monday Udoh, called on all stakeholders to respect the rules of engagement.
    Udoh, who was represented by Head of Department, Election and Party Monitoring, M.C. Nwankwo, said parties partaking in the election must act within the ambits of the constitution, the Electoral Act and guidelines insisting that election is a two-way activity involving the commission and other stakeholders.
    He said: “We also wish to reassure that we are not unmindful of some of your tricks you employ to truncate the electoral process in a time like this, but we are assuring you that with the cooperation of the security agencies we will deal with the violators of electoral laws.
    “As we approach the gubernatorial election, the commission will embark on robust voter enlightenment with our stakeholders in the electoral process and we urge you as the Chairman and members of IPAC in the state to help us enlighten the people in your domain about the various aspects of the election.
    “These include the voting procedures, the importance of voting, mobilization of voters especially the women, youths and people living with disabilities. The need to maintain peace within our environments and domain should be emphasized.
    “We wish to enjoy you all in this assembly not to hesitate to avail us of any suggestion that will help us immensely in realizing our goal of free, fair and credible election in the state”.
    Udoh commended the political parties for their cooperation and encouragement during the last general elections in the state saying their support and suggestions led to peaceful and credible poll.
    He told the parties to explore the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve their electoral disputes against the conventional litigations in court.
    “ADR is a method that guarantees more lasting peace and settlement and in most cases ensure a win-win settlement amongst the disputing political parties.
    “Soon in the next couple of weeks, we shall implement all the other activities and fulfill the mandate thrust upon us by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are hopeful that with your support, suggestions and encouragement we shall deliver a free, Fair and credible election come 16th November, 2019 in Bayelsa state”.
    Speaking at the occasion, the party representatives commended INEC for introducing ADR in resolving electoral matters promising to cooperate with the commission for a free and fair elections.
    Mrs. Charity Godwin of Rebuild Nigeria Party (RNP) said the engagements with INEC was an eye-opener on ADR and promised to transmit her knowledge to other members of her party, who were not present at the event.
    “The introduction of the ADR came at the right time. We are preparing for a local government election coming and also on the 16th of November we are having our gubernatorial election. So, all of these sensitizations will go a long way to enhance our belief that the process will be free and fair”, she said.
    Also, the INEC’s Director, ADR, Clement Oha, said it was wisdom on the part of INEC to adopt ADR saying the cases in court after the party primaries of the last general election were huge and embarrassing to the electoral process.
    Oha said: “After the party primaries of 2019 general elections, the number of cases that were pilled up in court was huge and embarrassing to the democratic process and INCE as a commission.
    “So, the commission deemed it fit and appropriate to engage all category of people involved in the electoral process to find a way of reducing the number of allegations that they normally have after everything.
    “That is why we are going round the few state that are going to have governorship elections in the next couple of months Bayelsa and Kogi states and we have been engaging the electorate and we have been happy with the result we are getting for now”.
    On why major political parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were absent at the gathering, he said the commission would not force anybody.
    “We contacted all the political parties involved through IPAC, and if for any reason any of them decide not to be here we can not go and force them to come here, but you know the result, you know what happened in Zamfara and what happen in Rivers State.
    “We have been communicating with them, we have sent our notice to them if they decide not to take the benefit of what we are doing maybe they have a way of resolving their own matter internally.
    “The attendance is beyond our imaginations. We never believed that Bayelsa state could have almost 80 political parties. That’s what is in our record, and we have only 91 in the whole country maybe because of the upcoming general elections and some parties are interested in taking part in the election”.

  • INEC to commence deployment of materials for Bayelsa, Kogi polls tomorrow

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said non-sensitive materials for the November 16 governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States will be identified and deployed tomorrow to the states.
    The commission added that sensitive materials, ballot papers and results sheet will be delivered to the Central Bank a month before the election.
    The National Commissioner and Chair, Legal Services, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, said the commission would be administering oath of neutrality on workers as part of measures to ensure loyalty and neutrality. Agbamuche-Mbu added that electoral official indicted in the last elections will be blacklisted.
    She spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the stakeholders’ round table on preparedness towards the Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship election.
    She said: “In view of the commission’s commitment to conducting credible elections in Nigeria, we have since begun preparations for the coming elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States. All the non-sensitive materials needed for the elections have been identified and will be delivered tomorrow to the respective states.
    “After the party primaries, sensitive materials, ballot papers and results sheet will be produced and customised by their Local Government Areas (LGAs) and subsequently delivered to the Central Bank a month before the election.”
    Agbamuche-Mbu explained that the materials will be retrieved from the CBN the week preceding the election and distributed to the councils.
    She added that the commission will employ ad hoc workers and deploy its original workers in where there is shortage.

  • UPDATED: Ijaw youths shut down 10 telecom masts in Bayelsa

    UPDATED: Ijaw youths shut down 10 telecom masts in Bayelsa

    A Task Force of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, on Monday raided and shut down facilities belonging to telecommunication companies in Bayelsa State following unresolved disputes on awards of quick-win contracts.
    The task force, which was set up by the IYC zonal Chairman, Kennedy Olorogun, picketed facilities belonging to MTN, GLO, Airtel, 9th Mobile and other telecommunication companies across Yenagoa metropolis.
    Hundreds of the youths stormed 10 telecom masts and disconnected them, leaving subscribers stranded and the affected companies losing millions of Naira.
    The youths, who chanted solidarity songs, said they would no longer allow the companies to continue with the practice of awarding their jobs to only non-indigenes especially contracts to supply diesel to their facilities.
    The Olorogun-led IYC has been at loggerheads with telecom companies operating in the state following discoveries by the council that the firms engaged only non-indigenes in their jobs and contracts.
    IYC wrote many letters to the management of the telecom companies on the need to correct the imbalance insisting that the council would no longer tolerate the companies’ practice of outsourcing diesel supply to only non-indigenes in the state.
    Following lack of responses to all the letters, Olorogun in separate letters issued 14-day ultimatum to the companies to act or risk disruption of their operations in the state.
    Olorogun said the picketing occurred because the ultimatum expired about three days ago but the companies failed to act to avert the threat.
    He said: “The companies were playing with us. They failed to act. Instead, they wanted to bribe me but I am not the kind of leader that collects bribe. We want them to do the right thing. They should address the issues. We are hosting their facilities. They can’t be giving all their jobs to outsiders”.
    He warned that the Monday action was a tip of the iceberg adding that massive disconnections would hit the companies if they failed to address their grievances.
    Shortly after the picketing, communication network failures were recorded in most parts of the capital city as subscribers living in the affected areas could no longer make or receive calls.
    In one of the letters sent to the MTN Telecommunication company, Bayelsa State branch, Olorogun reminded the firm of previous correspondences indicating interest of IYC to be part of some of its empowerment schemes.
    Addressing MTN, the letter said: “The council is aware that it is non-indigenes that are doing all the jobs and supplies in the company.
    “The desire of the council to be a partaker in the economic opportunities in your company such as the supply of Automative Gas Oil (AGO) popularly known as diesel and other basic and fundamental supplies going on in your company are legitimate demands that ought not to be contentious.
    “These are embedded in your corporate social responsibility to your host communities and area of operations in line with the Local Content Act 2010. The pecuniary benefits derivable from these economic opportunities would assist the council to organise workshops, seminars and assist indigent members of the council.
    “Having discovered that you have elected to treat our request with disdain and your hostile disposition to our peaceful approach is standing as an obstacle towards any meaningful engagement with you”.

  • BREAKING: Ijaw youths begin shutting down of MTN, Glo, Airtel masts in Bayelsa

    Ijaw youths have made good their threat to shut down masts belonging to MTN, Glo, Airtel and other telecommunication companies in Bayelsa State.
    The picketing was following issues bordering on complaints by the youths that the companies excluded indigenes from quick-win contracts especially the supply of diesel to their facilities.
    Details shortly…

  • Bayelsa guber: I have no preferred candidate – Dickson

    Bayelsa guber: I have no preferred candidate – Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has insisted that he had no preferred candidate for the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.
    Dickson in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, called on Bayelsans to discountenance aspirants claiming to have his endorsement.
    The governor said that he would commence intensified consultations with aspirants and critical stakeholders at the national and state levels of the PDP following the conclusion of the sale of the gubernatorial nomination forms for the next election.
    Dickson also promised to work closely with the party leadership to ensure the conduct of credible, free and fair primaries in Bayelsa.
    He said while the aspirants, who picked the party’s nomination reserved the right to pursue their ambition, the leadership of the party would watch and monitor the buildup to primaries.
    He said he remained committed to his earlier stance that there was no anointed aspirant in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
    He said: “Now that the collection of gubernatorial forms have ended, the leadership of the party in the state wishes to say that there is no anointed aspirant against the practice in those states where outgoing governors endorse one single aspirant.
    “I decided to open the state for people in my government,my team and other members of the party who have interest to indicate their interest I promise the state that there would be no imposition so would it be.
    “The aspirants who have bought firms have the right to express their ambition but the state leadership òf the party should watch keenly. I am following the comments and making observations and in appropriate cases making consultations.
    “Now that the end of purchase of forms have come, I will intensify consultations both with aspirants, party leaders and other stakeholders
    “And at the end of the day, I intend to work with the party at the national and state levels to ensure that there is a free and fair election. Those using my name should be disregarded, it is not true, I have not endorsed anybody yet”.

  • Police nab suspected killer of two NYSC members in Bayelsa

    The Police Command in Bayelsa on Thursday, said it had apprehended the suspected killer of two national Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in the state in March, 2019.
    The command said that the suspect and 28 others were nabbed across the state for various offences, including kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism.
    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Uche Anozia, told journalists in Yenagoa that the suspects were arrested in different locations in the state, and that different types of arms were recovered from them.
    Anozia said the arrest of the suspect were carried the Special Squad of the command, which swung into action with the launch of “Operation Puff Adder” in the state.
    “Among the suspects are 14 armed robbers, 10 arrested in connection with cultism and five suspected kidnappers, who have been operating in the state.
    “On March 2, 2019, at about 2230 hours, six unknown gunmen invaded the residence of one Oluwatobi Papoola Olakunle and George Onokpoma, who were corps members serving a Izi-Victory International School, Swali community, Yenagoa.
    “The gunmen shot and killed the corps members and stole some valuable items from their residence, which included an Infinix X601 phone belonging to Oluwatobi.
    “Policemen swung into action and investigation led to the arrest of one Peter Joshua, 24, a native of Kabba, Kogi, and recovered the Infinix X601 phone belonging to Oluwatobi.
    “The suspect confessed that the phone was given to him by one Ignatius Idekinulobi of Ohaozara in Ebonyi, who was arrested for another robbery case by the special anti-robbery squad,” he said.
    The police chief also said that “on July 7, 2019, at about 1700 hours, operatives of Azikoro Division arrested one Godwin Barnabas, 26, of Otuokpoti community, in Ogbia LGA.
    “Also arrested is one Joel Damage, 22, an Urhobo from Delta, who robbed one Mrs Precious Ekebuisi in her shop at Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa, at gun point and carted away two laptops and one Camara.
    “The suspects confessed to the commission of crimes in the course of the investigation.
    “On July 10, 2019, at about 1800hrs, operatives of Operation Puff Adder arrested one January Eli, a security guard attached to one Chigoze Ugodibi of Commissioners Quarters, Opolo, in connection with kidnapping.
    “The suspect confessed to the crime and investigation is ongoing”.
    He said the command would continue to utilise the operations of Operation Puff Adder to make Bayelsa safe for residents.
    The commissioner said arms recovered from all the suspects were two AK47 Rifles, 40 locally-made cartridge-loading pistols and 26 locally-made revolver pistols.
    Others were seven Dane guns, 67 cartridges, 936 7.62 mm ammunition and three fabricated AK47 riffles.

  • Bayelsa guber: APC’s meeting on mode of primaries ends in deadlock

    A stakeholders’ meeting convened on Tuesday by the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to decide on the mode of the party’s primary election for the November 16 governorship election in the state ended in deadlock.
    It was gathered that the APC state secretariat in Yenagoa, the venue of the meeting, became rowdy following outburst by some members of the state working committee against the Chairman of the party, Jothan Amos.
    The meeting reportedly had critical stakeholders of the Bayelsa APC including various camps of the governorship aspirants in attendance.
    A former Governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva; a former Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri and a founding member of the party, Prince Preye Aganaba were frontline governorship aspirants, who attended the meeting with their supporters.
    Also in attendance were state House of Assembly and National Assembly lawmakers elected on the platform of the party.
    It was gathered that no sooner had Amos introduced the meeting with remarks that the stakeholders should adopt a direct mode of primary than some of his executive members descended on him with objections.
    They were said to have told Amos that his approach was wrong and against the constitution of APC insisting that before the stakeholders’ meeting, the state working committee ought to have met to decide on the agenda.
    Despite the stalemate, some of Sylva’s loyalists claimed that the stakeholders harmonized and adopted the direct mode primary mode of election.
    The camps of Lokpobiri and Aganaba, however, said that since the meeting ended in deadlock, the mode of primaries was never discussed by the stakeholders.
    Speaking shortly after the meeting, the Director-General, Heineken Lokpobiri Campaign Organisation, Warman Ogoriba, said there was no discussion on mode of primary election.
    Warman said: “The meeting ended in a stalemate. The party chairman ought to have met with the state working committee members to agree on the meeting and the agenda before coming to hold the stakeholders’ meeting. But the chairman failed to do so and our constitution provides for that.
    “A number of the working committee members opposed the meeting and when he came up with the issue mode of primaries, it didn’t go down well with most of the stakeholders and that is the reason the meeting ended in a stalemate. No decision was taken because majority of the stakeholders felt that the chairman’s approach was wrong”.

  • Bayelsa guber: Deputy gov., SSG, chief of staff join race

    Bayelsa Deputy Governor, John Jonah, the Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara, and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Talford Ongolo, have joined the race for the state governorship election.
    The three cabinet members of the incumbent administration of Gov. Seriake Dickson on Thursday obtained their expression of interest and nomination forms at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national headquarters in Abuja.
    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three aspirants were also members of the Bayelsa Restoration Government, a political movement led by Dickson.
    Jonah speaking with newsmen after obtaining his forms, denied the insinuation that there was crack in the group.
    He said the group and the PDP in Bayelsa were ever united, saying the movement actually opened the race to whoever that was interested.
    “There is no crack, if there is anything there is cohesion within the restoration family.
    “People were expecting that by this time the governor will bring one candidate and say this is my candidate.
    “In fact they are speculating that others will not be allowed to show interest and they will be forced to just withdraw.
    “That can bring cracks, but in the thinking of the administration collectively we have to note that it is not just the governor.
    “We felt that those that have interest and with capacity to administer the state should show interest and we proceed from there.
    “Other modalities will be worked out and at the end we go for primary.
    ” It is the primary that will decide who becomes the candidate. All we are doing is to show that we are interested so there are no cracks,” he said.
    Jonah said that his driving force was his passion for service to the people and to delivering development to the state.
    Jonah, who said that Dickson, in line with the vision of the restoration government had developed the state, pledged to improve on the achievements of the incumbent, if elected.
    “If you love the state you will not change the vision; we will develop infrastructure; we have set all the basic foundation there; all we will do is to start building from there.
    “We will go to the critical mass, health, ensure no civil servant pays for treatment, the health insurance scheme, other states are going to study it.
    “You go to schools, public schools, there is free accommodation, free feeding. These are two critical areas if you want to develop your state,” he said.
    Ongolo and Okara also affirmed that obtaining nomination forms by other members of the movement was not an indication of a crack, saying they were united.
    Ongolo said it was a party affair, adding that only PDP had the capacity to deliver Bayelsa in November.
    “Bayelsa is a PDP state, and we are stronger than ever before,” he added.

  • Drama as Bayelsa Dep Gov, SSG, Chief of Staff pick PDP guber nomination forms

    Drama as Bayelsa Dep Gov, SSG, Chief of Staff pick PDP guber nomination forms

    It was all drama at the Abuja secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday, as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, John Jonah; Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara; and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Talford Ongolo collected nomination forms for the governorship election.
    First to obtain his nomination documents was Ongolo, followed by Okara, then Jonah, all within a space of five hours amid drumming and dancing by their supporters who thronged the PDP secretariat in their numbers.
    Incidentally, the three aspirants are members of the Restoration Group, a political movement assembled by the governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson.
    At separate interaction with journalists shortly after obtaining their nomination documents, all the three aspirants spoke highly of the governor and the formidability of the Restoration Group.
    Besides the three aspirants, no fewer than three other members of the Restoration Group had also obtained their nomination forms in the last one week.
    All the three aspirants said the large number of aspirants within the group was not an indication that there were cracks within the Dickson political family.
    The deputy governor said, “There are no cracks; if there is anything, it’s cohesion within the restoration family. People were expecting that by this time the governor will bring one candidate and say this is my candidate.
    “They are speculating that others would not be allowed to show interest and they will be forced to just withdraw. That could have brought cracks. But in the thinking of the administration, we felt that those that have interest and with capacity to administer the state should show interest and we proceed from there.
    “Other modalities would be worked out and at the end, we go for primaries. It is the primaries that would decide who becomes the candidate. All we are doing is to show that we are interested so there are no cracks. Anybody that says that would not be saying the truth or he doesn’t know what he is saying.”