The Nigeria Election Violence Report, coordinated by Kimpact Development Initiative has condemned the widespread violence and killing of citizens in the Saturday governorship election in Bayelsa State.
The Executive Director of KDI and NEVR Coordinator, Bukola Idowu, insisted that the governorship election in Bayelsa State fell below electoral standard due to high rate of violence during the poll.
Addressing a press conference at KDI office in Osogbo, Osun State, Idowu lamented that five Nigerians died as a result of pre-election violence in Bayelsa at Nembe LGA and that two persons died in Yenagoa on election day.
He said Kimpact NEVR Bayelsa Election situation room received reports of violence from eight local government areas of the state ranging from death to intimidation of voters, carting away and destruction of election materials, especially ballot papers, and harassment by political thugs.
He added that vote buying and inducement was done with impunity in Ogbia and Southern Ijaw LGAs and that Agents of political parties were distributing money ranging from N2,000 to N3,000, which is carried out in the open unperturbed.
KDI advocated for creation of Special Electoral Court and Electoral Offence Commission by the Federal Government to prosecute and punish electoral offenders.
Idowu tasked government on swift prosecution of electoral offenders to serve as deterrence to others.
