A Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been abducted by yet-to – be identified gunmen.
The development was conveyed in a statement issued to the press by the Head of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC State Headquarters in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, Wilfred Ifogah, who said the victim was assigned to Registration Area – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to the electoral body official, the INEC staff, whose name was deliberately withheld, was abducted while waiting to board a boat to his area of assignment at Amassoma Jetty.
Furthermore, Ifogah disclosed that a boat carrying electoral personnel to Registration Area 17 (Koluama) in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State also capsized, saying no life was lost, as the 12 personnel and the boat operator were rescued unhurt.
He said, “We, however, lost our result sheets, power banks, and luggage containing personal effects of staff.
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“The total number of registered voters in the affected Registration Areas is 5,368 and the number of PVCs collected is 5,311.
“INEC is making efforts to ensure the conduct of election in the affected area.
“The security agencies have been notified.”
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Asinim Butswat, has yet to speak on the incident as of press time.
Bayelsa State will today elect a new governor – or keep the current one – for the south-south state.
The state has eight local government areas including Brass, Ekeremo, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw, and Yenagoa.
The total number of registered voters for the governorship election is 1,056,862, according to the electoral body, INEC. The commission said 1,017,613 registered voters have collected their PVCs ahead of the election while 39,249 PVCs were not collected.
A total of 16 candidates are jostling for the topmost position in the oil-rich state.