The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the collation of results for the Bayelsa State Governorship election held on Saturday will commence at 10 am today. The announcement was made by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, on Sunday morning.
Voting took place across all eight local government areas of the state, with INEC already initiating the uploading of results onto its IREV portal. Initial results displayed on the platform indicate that the incumbent governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Douye Diri, is leading the race, followed closely by his major rival and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Both the PDP and APC expressed optimism about their chances of winning the election. Yekini Nabena, the former National Publicity Secretary of the APC, and Collins Cocodia, the Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Political Affairs, separately conveyed their confidence in victory while commending the conduct of the election and the effectiveness of the B-VAS system.
Nabena, speaking from Ward 8 in Aduku/Abari, Sagbama local government area, accused the PDP of attempting to stop their candidate through litigation but expressed confidence in the APC’s popularity among the voters.
Cocodia, speaking from Ward 9 Trofani in Sagbama LGA, acknowledged pockets of violence but overall praised the peaceful conduct of the election. He asserted that the PDP is firmly rooted in the state and predicted a landslide victory for the party.
As the collation process unfolds, the political landscape in Bayelsa remains tense, with both major parties eagerly awaiting the official declaration of results. Stay tuned for further updates on the Bayelsa Governorship election.