The Independent National Electoral Commission has said collation of results for Saturday’s Governorship election in Bayelsa State will begin by 10 am today.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Obo Effanga, disclosed this to our correspondent on Sunday morning.
Voting ended in all eight local government areas of the state on Saturday, even as INEC began uploading the results to its IREV portal.
So far the results on the electoral umpire’s IREV show that the incumbent governor and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Douye Diri, is in the early lead followed by his major rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Speaking to our correspondent on Saturday both the PDP and APC expressed the optimism of winning the election.
Former National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, and Special Adviser to the Bayelsa State Governor on Political Affairs, Collins Cocodia expressed hope of victory separately while speaking with our correspondent.
Nabena spoke at Ward 8 in Aduku/Abari in Sagbama local government area, while Cocodia spoke at Ward 9 Trofani in Sagbama LGA.
They however expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election and the INEC, saying the B-VAS functions effectively.
Nabena stated, “In my community went peacefully for now there is no problem. The people will decide at the end of the day because we as the APC went for the people who have the votes.
“While the PDP was busy with litigation. They spent billions of naira through the back door to stop our candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva from contesting this election but they failed because the Judiciary did the right thing.
“That is why you can see that the PDP is jittery and I am very confident that APC will win this election despite the PDP being the government in power.”
On his part, Corcodia said despite pockets of violence the election was largely peaceful and lauded INEC for the performance of the B-VAS and the security agencies for a job well done.
He However said despite pockets of violence in some parts of Ogbia and Sagbama, the poll was peaceful.
He stated that the PDP is firmly on the ground in the state, pointing out that the APC is almost non-existent in Bayelsa which he said will show when the results are released.
He stated, ” There are no issues with the B-VAS and the security personnel did well. I commend INEC.
“There has been peace in many areas so far and I must say that Bayelsa people have shown their love and belief for the PDP.
“There is no doubt that the PDP will not just win this election, we will win by a landslide.”
