Tension heightened in Yenagoa as thousands of APC supporters protest

Tension heightened in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital as thousands of All Progressive Congress APC supporters took to the streets in protest of the cancellation of the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw local government area.

According to one of the Protesters, Preye Apreala, the decision by the Resident Electoral Commissioner Baritor Kpagih, to cancel the election in Southern Ijaw local government area was criminal and a violation of the electoral rights of the over 120,000 voters that participated in the poll in spite of threats.

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday cancelled the governorship election in the volatile Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state noting that the poll in the area was “substantially” marred by violence, ballot box snatching and hostage taking of electoral officers.

Southern Ijaw Local Government Area has 120,827 registered voters, the highest in the eight council areas of the state.

Supporters of the PDP mainly women from Southern Ijaw council had on Monday staged a peaceful protest close to the INEC collation centre calling for the cancellation of the election in the council, alleging widespread irregularities.