Three persons were feared dead in election violence on Saturday in Delta and Bayelsa states.





Two persons reportedly died in a clash between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and Democratic Peoples Party in Ogume, Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State while one life was lost when members of the PDP engaged faithful of the Labour Party in a gun battle in Twon Brass, Bayelsa State.





There were also reports of injuries and damage to property.





More details in Sunday PUNCH tomorrow.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2011040914135512

[size=18pt]bayelsa on fire[/size]


Voters in Bayelsa State were jittery on Friday following the fear of a possible outbreak of violence as the Independent National Electoral Commission holds the rescheduled National Assembly election on Saturday (today), an investigation by SATURDAY PUNCH has shown.


It was discovered that with such phobia in the minds of eligible voters, many polling units, especially those in the creeks, might witness a low turnout of voters.


It was found that voters were more apprehensive of possible explosions, which had become rampant in the state in the build-up to the elections.


Some residents told SATURDAY PUNCH that they were scared of being caught up in a crossfire that usually occurred between armed hoodlums and security agencies in different parts of the state.


It was learnt that stakeholders were worried on the possible outcome of elections in the state, especially considering that it is the home of President Goodluck Jonathan, who will be expected to cast his votes at his Otueoke hometown.


It was learnt that there were subtle moves from Abuja to douse the political tension in the state by appealing to the political gladiators to maintain the peace.


Such moves, it was gathered, became necessary to avoid a repeat of what happened on Saturday, which is capable of impugning on the integrity of the President, who has been an advocate of a peaceful election.


It was gathered that the shootout that occurred last Saturday morning at Ekeremor between armed youths and operatives of the Joint Task Force codenamed Operation Restore Hope, in which three of the miscreants were killed, had aggravated the anxiety in the state.


More so, the explosion that rocked a three-star hotel owned by Mrs. Tikere, the wife of the reinstated deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi, on Wednesday, had further raised fresh fears in the state ahead of today’s poll.


Some persons had thrown explosives suspected to be dynamite into Latik Hotel located in Kpansia, Yenagoa Local Government Area at about 8 pm.


The state chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Adou Bobo, was said to have held a meeting with the leaders and youths of the party in the hotel on Monday, a day before the incident, heightening the tension between the party’s camp and the Peoples Democratic Party.


Ebebi has been in battle with Sylva leading to his impeachment by the state house of assembly.


But he was reinstated by the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.


Ebebi is contesting the Bayelsa West senatorial district seat under the umbrella of the LP.


But the explosion, which happened four days to today’s election, has reportedly highlighted a possible outbreak of violence.


The new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Aderenle Shinaba, had summoned the officials of the Bomb Disposal Unit on Wednesday morning to his office at the state police headquarters, to review the incident and promised to forestall a recurrence.


Despite the assurances of the police, voters were still apprehensive based on the fact that the police had made such promises in the past without fulfilling them.


Some of them, who spoke to SATURDAY PUNCH on the condition of anonymity, said to encourage voters to participate in the election today, there must be special security arrangements especially in the creeks.


Based on the developments in the state, Shinaba was summoned to the Zone Five Police Headquarters in Benin, Edo State on Thursday for a special security meeting.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201104081461362

except for pockets of violence in Bayelsa and a bomb blast in Maiduguri, situation reports from the field nationwide have it that the elections have been peaceful and going on smoothly.

Voter apathy is an issue though but i think the turn out will improve next week.

GEJ's Bayelsa is an open sore onthe face of Nigeria.
Later the clueless idiot will proclaim that''my people will not do such a thing''
Fools

Jon.Bee:

GEJ's Bayelsa is an open sore onthe face of Nigeria.
Later the clueless will proclaim that''my people will not do such a thing''
Fools

The open sore is the entire North. The literacy and poverty rates are appalling in that region. .

EzeUche:

The open sore is the entire North. The literacy and poverty rates are appalling in that region. .

is bayelsa north

Alj Uche:



is bayelsa north

Let us compare the poverty and literacy rates in Bayelsa with the North and you will see how Bayelsa is still more advanced than the North. Even swamps in the South have more educated people than the entire North.

EzeUche:


Let us compare the poverty and literacy rates in Bayelsa with the North and you will see how Bayelsa is still more advanced than the North. Even swamps in the South have more educated people than the entire North.

hisses

they are advance but yet they are behaving like uncultured animals

or is the killing in the north or south, please answer

they are even as silly as to fight for alams release from prison

Yet your people are busy scrambling those poor northern state for pros.tu.tion and armed robbry even in the face of their mass extermination.

IRONY!

EzeUche:

The open sore is the entire North. The literacy and poverty rates are appalling in that region. .

How did violence in Bayelsa in GEJ's backyard now become a discussion about literacy and poverty in the North?

Are the rogues in Bayelsa GEJs brothers protesting on behalf of the North?

dayokanu:

How did violence in Bayelsa in GEJ's backyard now become a discussion about literacy and poverty in the North?
Are the rogues in Bayelsa GEJs brothers protesting on behalf of the North?

You dey mind the major dingbats?? ROFLMAO!!

Ehen! where beaf dey? i thought he said nothing happened in Bayelsa. You see this guy is protecting the PDP miscreants.

EzeUche:

The open sore is the entire North. The literacy and poverty rates are appalling in that region. .

Bayelsa where Jonathan acted as Deputy Gov (6.5 years) and Gov (1.5 years) has the highest unemployment rate in Nigeria. This is official from the Federal Office of Statistics

dayokanu:

How did violence in Bayelsa in GEJ's backyard now become a discussion about literacy and poverty in the North?

Are the rogues in Bayelsa GEJs brothers protesting on behalf of the North?

+1

No doubt someone will blame the violence on "Aboki" MEND