The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri, has accused Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), of being responsible for the electoral violence that was witnessed in the Nembe-Bassambiri area of the state on November 11, 2023. Diri is running for reelection and hopes to serve another four years in office.
Speaking on Saturday following his vote in the ballot, the governor claimed that “Timipre Sylva has been violent in every election.”
“We have been raising the issue of the violent character and person of Timipre Sylva. Over the years, in every election he is involved in, you experience violence, you experience lawlessness, and even in Nembe-Bassambiri, the name and the character behind what is happening in Nembe-Bassambiri is Timipre Sylva.”
Despite this, Diri highlighted his concerns about the situation in Nembe-Bassambiri, where he said some of his partymen had been denied the right to vote, and praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a “seamless” and “very fast” election.
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The governor expressed his desire to think that INEC is making improvements to both its personnel training and infrastructure.
“I am very satisfied with the process and the personnel handling the process.”
“We have concerns about Nembe-Bassambiri where party members most of whom have been excluded, and agents have been stopped from going into Nembe-Bassambiri. That is a very serious concern. The Party has written an official letter to the chairman of INEC and INEC has to take drastic measures to allow our people to vote.”
“Special attention has to be taken in Nembe-Bassambiri because everything points to the fact that in Nembe PDP members are chased out of their community.”
