Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has disclosed that the death toll of last Saturday’s governorship election in the Nembe massacre had risen to 12, while the figures of those injured had increased to 93.
Governor Dickson, who stated this during the State Executive Council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, maintained that the election was a coup against the country’s democracy.
To this end, a minute silence was observed at the Executive Council in memory of those slain during the electioneering period in Nembe Local Government Area.
On the preparations for the transition programme, Governor Dickson noted that regardless of the outcome of the Guber poll, it was incumbent on his administration to work towards handing over the baton of leadership come February 2020.
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The governor said, “In view of the fact that many Bayelsans in different places, but most particularly, in Nembe were mowed down even before the election; 12 of them have been confirmed dead. The Commissioner for Health was telling me the number of those injured have increased to 93 and some of them are in critical conditions.
“You have seen how it has ended. You have seen how what was supposed to be an election turned out to be a charade and what has been done to our people.
“I want to thank you all for showing the example of peace in all the areas that you functioned. The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in our own system, there’s a definite terminal date.
“So irrespective of the outcome, irrespective of the way and manner the election went, even when the outcome was not what we deserve, we have a duty as an Executive Council to prepare the state for a transition.
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