Southern Ijaw Electoral Fraud: Buhari Not Happy With Sylva, APC Bayelsa

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Friday, December 11th, 2015

Security operatives denies Sylva access to Aso villa as President Buhari condemns electoral fraud, violence in Bayelsa governorship election

Efforts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva to have audience with President Muhammadu Buhari was rebuffed on Thursday, sources said

This was as a result of the disposition of the President to the reported reign of terror, mayhem and violence unleashed on voters during the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw LGA.

An impeccable source within the Presidency stated that, President Buhari was not happy with the APC in Bayelsa State and its governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva over the reported pockets of violence during the rescheduled election in Southern Ijaw LGA.

The President’s anger, according to an inside source is coming on the heels of the wide-spread condemnation of the conduct of the APC members in last weekend’s governorship election in the State, especially in Southern Ijaw LGA, where no fewer than five persons lost their lives.

Sources said that Buhari was also not happy with Chief Sylva for deceiving and hoodwinking the leadership of the APC at the national level of his popularity to hand him the governorship ticket of the party, when what is on the ground was different.

The source stated,” Mr. President is angry over the overwhelming criticism and condemnation of the process by the international observers, who did not mince words in describing the poll as a rape of democracy.

“Some of the observers are already seeing the APC led federal government as incapable and lacking the capacity to conduct a free, fair and credible election in a State as small as Bayelsa. What happened in Southern Ijaw was totally against every acceptable global democratic norm and practice.”

On the alleged ignoble role played by some top military brass, our source indicated that, heads may roll as the presidency has called for investigations of the allegation leveled against these officers.

It was revealed that, the President felt highly embarrassed by the inability of the security agencies to provide a conducive environment for the conduct of peaceful and credible election in Bayelsa State.

Both local and international observers had widely condemned the action of the army and other security personnel, who, according to reports, openly aided armed thugs of the APC to hijack materials and INEC ad-hoc staff in a desperate bid to rig the election in Southern Ijaw LGA, which led to the cancellation of the exercise in the area.