Bayelsa guber: Group criticises Bayelsa REC for discarding electronic transmission of results

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Good Governance Advocacy Group (GGAG) has expressed concern over remarks credited to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner in Bayelsa, Obo Effanga, on the electronic transmission of results in the November 11 governorship election.

Effanga who spoke during an interactive forum with religious leaders and faith-based organisations in Yenagoa on Wednesday said that the results of the election would be transmitted ‘manually’.

The REC emphasised that the election is going to be won and lost at the polling units and the results would be manually transmitted to the collation centres.

The GGAG reaction to the REC’s remarks is contained in a statement issued on Friday by its Coordinator, Godwin Ebiware.

The group said it was surprising that Effanga did not give reasons why the commission would revert to manual transmission of results.

Ebiware said: “The Federal Government spent billions of naira to acquire Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

“But out of a hidden agenda by the political parties in Bayelsa in connivance with the Independent National Electoral Commission has decided to abandon the electronic transmission of the November 11 election results in real-time.

“It will be recalled that the opposition parties at the federal level are still in court over the inability of the INEC to transmit results of the February 23 presidential election results in real-time.”

The group also called on the Bayelsa State Police Command to show neutrality ahead of the forthcoming governorship polls in the state.

The GGAG described as disturbing the position of the Commissioner of Police in the state that the safety of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters could not be guaranteed if they visited Nembe-Bassambiri to campaign.

It would be recalled that the state campaign council of the PDP had cancelled its planned visit to the Nembe-Basambri community on Thursday following the position of the police commissioner.

Ebiware said, “Only some weeks ago, the self-same Commissioner of Police said that peace has returned to Nembe-Bassambiri after the ugly disturbances that led to the deaths of some individuals.

“Is the Commissioner of Police saying that the opposition parties are free to go campaign in other local government areas? Will there be an election in Nembe-Bassambiri if the PDP is not free to go there and campaign?

“INEC and the police should be put on notice that the peace in Bayelsa State should be allowed to reign and should retrace whatever sinister steps they plan to take concerning the November 11 gubernatorial election.”