The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday cancelled the governorship election in the volatile Southern Ijaw council.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, who announced the cancellation of the election in the area, said the poll in the area was “substantially” marred by violence, ballot box snatching and taking electoral officers hostage.
Government offices were hurriedly closed as tension hightened in the state capital following fears that the protest could turn violent. Though it could not be immediately ascertained, it was gathered that the directive that the government offices within the secretariat complex be closed was verbally issued by the Head of Service, Dr. Peter Singabele.
It was gathered that before the directive was issued, most of the civil servants could not access their offices as the roads leading to the Government House and the state secretariat were cordoned off by armed security operatives.
The protesters who carried placards and sang anti-INEC songs, caused serious gridlock in the town as they marched from the APC secretariat at the Yenezue-Gene suburb of Yenagoa to the office of INEC on Swali Road to register their grievances over the cancellation of Southern Ijaw election result.
It was the second protest in two days despite the ban on street procession by the police.
Supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, mainly women from Southern Ijaw council, had on Monday staged a peaceful protest close to the INEC collation centre, calling for the cancellation of the election in the council, alleging widespread irregularities