Violence, apathy mar Bayelsa poll as Police arrest suspects during clash

Saturday's Bayelsa governorship election was marred by violence, inducement of voters and apathy in some parts of the states, particularly the riverine and coastal areas.
Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor, Brass and Nembe Local Government Areas were worst hits with violence, as political thugs unleash mayhem on rival political supporters with scores feared dead.
In Southern Ijaw, although four persons were reportedly feared dead, however, an indigene of the area told newsmen that those confirmed dead were more than four.
Elsewhere in the riverine Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas,the election day eve witnessed shootings and disruption of the peace,which prompted the reinforcement of security personnel to the area.
Although normalcy return to Nembe on election day,however, the tension and security uncertainty has caused voters to remain indoors,resulting in voters apathy.
However, the election was generally peaceful in Yenagoa, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Ogbia, and parts of Sagbama Local Government Areas local Government Areas.
An opinion leader in Sagbegeria in Kolokuma/Opokuma, Ongore Joshua,who decried the low turnout of registered voters, described the situation as unfortunate.
In parts of Yenagoa, Ogbia and Kolokuma/Opokuma local government Areas, accreditation started around 8:30am, although there were complaints of failure of card readers in Kolokuma/Opokuma units 6 and 7 of ward 10.
In Otuan community in Southern Ijaw,the locals were yet to sight INEC officials and materials as at press time.
Bayelsa poll: Police arrest suspects during clash

The Bayelsa Police Command said on Saturday that normalcy had been restored in Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Asinim Butswat, an ASP, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa.
Butswat said the command had received report of a clash by rival groups which disrupted the electoral process in the area.
He said one person was injured during the clash, while the police arrested some suspects in the process.
“ We have made some arrests and normalcy has been restored in the area. Security reinforcement was sent to Oporoma and we can say that the electoral process had commenced there,“ he said.
He said information available to the police showed that no life was lost during the clash.
He also said that accreditation had commenced in some parts of the area.
“ We are recording success in other local government areas such as Brass, Nembe, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Yenagoa,’’ the police spokesman said.
He said the governorship election in these areas had been peaceful while security agents were on high alert to check any breach of the law.