Residents of Bayelsa state will today, Saturday December 5, 2015, head to the polls to elect a leader to steer the affairs of the state for the next four years.
Although there are other political parties involved in the polls, all eyes will be on the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and their major opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chief Timipre Sylva and Governor Seriake Dickson go head to head in today’s governorship polls
While incumbent governor Seriake Dickson PDP looks more like a favourite, especially with the huge support and followership accorded him because of former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, the APC candidate, Timipre Sylva will ride on his luck as a candidate with the ‘federal might’.
The tension in the state is already sky high, not because it is an election day, but because of controversial events that have taken place in the state in recent weeks.
There were reports that the PDP’s chances of coming out tops were dealt a massive blow when some of its members under the present administration of Dickson, openly declared support for the opposition during their (APC’s) last campaign preceding the election.
And although it may have depleted the party’s chances further, the presence and the influence of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan is also one factor that may yet determine where the pendulum will swing at the end of the day when the election results would be announced.
Bayelsa has three senatorial districts, five federal constituencies, 24 state constituencies, eight local government areas and 105 Wards.
And there are 1,806 polling units across the local government areas in the state, available to the 663,748 registered voters in the state.
Based on gender distribution, the men constitute 54 per cent while women make up 46 percent of the voting population.
Observers, both foreign and local will now keep a keen eye on the state, not because an APC chieftain was shot dead recently, or because a aspirant under the opposition ‘wanted in’ at the PDP divide of the state, but because of the ugly incidents that trailed the recently-held polls in Kogi state, where Prince Abubakar Audu, the governorship candidate of the APC died after the election had been declared inconclusive.
Some were of the opinion that the late former governor must have been poisoned by some tops guns in the party who did not want him to rule again, but this was a mere speculation, as no autopsy confirmed the authenticity of the allegations.
This further makes the Bayelsa election a talking point with Kogi as a reference point.
Naij.com has a full squad on ground to monitor proceedings, and will bring you live updates from the oil-rich state.
8.16am: In Yenagoa Ward I, there are problems of proper identification of the different PUs. Accreditation yet to start.
8.15am: Situation room reports have it that there is a heavy gunfire in Oporoma, Southern Ijaw LGA. Shootings started around 6.00am. Residents in hiding.
8.13am: Information gathered have it that the distribution started as early as 5.00am today.
8.08am: At the INEC distribution centre in Brass, the last team of Ad-hoc staff are being despatched to the field and are being escorted by security officials amid fears of ballot-box snatching in that region.
7.33am: As accreditation is expected to start by 8am, residents and motorists in Yenagoa, the state capital are seen moving freely as movement is yet to be fully restricted.
Food sellers, Local alcohol joints are seen selling at the Ekeke motor park here in Yenagoa.
7.20am: Security agents have manned different parts of the state as the electorates have also started leaving their houses for the polling units.
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