..‘am ready for supplementary election- Agbedi
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Election Tribunal in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) to conduct fresh elections in some polling units in the Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State.
In the February national assembly election, INEC had declared Hon Fred Agbedi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner polling 21,430 votes as against Michael Bless Olomu, a candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) who had polled 8, 899 votes.
However Olomu had headed to the tribunal challenging the victory of Agebi citing violence in several polling units.
He had argued that elections did not take place in five wards yet results were collated. These wards include Ward 5 (Ebedebiri), Ward 11 (Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area), Ward 12 (Ekeremor Local Government Area), along with Wards 3 and 4 in Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area.
Olomu contended that he should be declared as the rightful winner of the election due to incidents of violence that marred the electoral process.
He alleged that the violence, which was reportedly orchestrated by the opposition, had a significant impact on the election’s integrity.
In its decision, the tribunal which declared that Agbedi was not lawfully elected by the majority of lawful votes cast said the Certificate of Return given to is set aside and directed INEC to immediately withdraw the certificate of return.
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Additionally, the tribunal has mandated INEC to organize a fresh election for approximately twenty six thousand voters who were unlawfully excluded from the initial election.
The affected areas where the tribunal directed fresh elections to hold are: Unit 18, Ward 10, Ekeremor Local Government Area, polling units 7,12, 16, ward 11 of Ekeremor Local Government Area polling units, 6,10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18,24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, Ward 12 of Ekeremor Local Government Area, polling units 10,15, 17, 18, 21 and 23, Ward 11 of Sagbama Local Government Area and all the polling units in Ward 5 , Sagbama Local Government Area.
Agbedi in a swift reaction has ruled out appeal and declared that he is ready for the supplementary election to be conducted by INEC.
“I am ready for the supplementary election. There is no appeal, that is my decision. For me as the party’s flagbearer, I am ready for the supplementary election, There are 26, 000 votes involved and we are going to harvest it.
He urged his supporters and members of the PDP to remain calm assuring them that the party will win.