PDP leading in Bayelsa gubernatorial race despite Reports of APC sponsored Violence

 the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is
maintaining a comfortable lead in the just- concluded supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) and 101 units in Bayelsa State, despite the low turnout of voters recorded in some communities. The unofficial collated results
from various polling units and wards
across the State, available to journalists so far, show That the PDP is widening its existing lead of 33,000 votes.
According to unofficial results collated so far, the PDP had a strong showing at polling units and wards in Amasoma, Otuan, Ogbia, Nembe Ogbolomabiri, Ekpetiama and some other communities. The decision by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to
decentralize the distribution of election
materials to LGAs across the State facilitated
the early arrival of materials in some
communities.
Despite this development, and the presence of
5,000 deployed police to the State, there were
cases of violence and hijacked election
materials.
SaharaReporters has learned of multiple
reports of violence sponsored by the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State,
with other reports saying that some violence
was assisted by security operatives. In
particular SaharaReporters has learned that
Ekeremor, Famgbe and Nembe communities
have been affected by violence.
Election materials meant for Lobia, 1, 2, 3 and
Peremabiri were hijacked by militants wielding
AK-47 machine guns and other dangerous
weapons. A PDP leader, James Jephtah, had a
property belonging to him destroyed by thugs
working for the APC, according to reports.
SaharaReporters has also learned of violence
in Ekeremor where at least five people have
been reportedly killed, however details and
confirmation were not immediately available at
the time of publication. In addition to this
violence, a lodge belonging to Governor
Seriake Dickson was vandalized in Ekeremor.
This violence comes days after the Speaker of
the Bayelsa State House of Assembly,
Boyelayefa Debekeme, and three other PDP
officials, were attacked with machetes by
thugs believed to be working for the Minister of
State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken
Lokpobiri.