Bayelsa poll: NGO preaches against violence, vote buying

A non-government organisation, the Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB), has admonished political parties to refrain from violence or monetary inducement in the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The executive director of CDDB, Mr Konrad Ekiyor Welson, gave the admonition in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Yenagoa.

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Welson was quoted to have spoken at a voter education programme aimed at preching against violence, rigging and ballot snatching in communities in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, organised in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said that the parties should convince the electorate to vote for their candidates through their vision, mission and manifestoes.

The group also charged security agencies and INEC to monitor leaders and members of  political parties before, during and after the election to prevent engagement in election malpractice.

He said the voter education programme took the CDDB team to Ofoni, Anagalabiri, Toru-Orua, Ogobiri, Ebedebiri, Sagbama, Tungbo, Tungbabiri, Angiama, Agbere and Odoni communities.

Welson commended INEC in the state for partnering with NGOs and CSOs in carrying out the voter education programme and appealed to political parties and the state government to emulate INEC.

Responding, the electorate in all the communities expressed their readiness to come out en masse to vote and to shun  all forms of violence before, during and after the election.

Nigerian Tribune