Politics
Bayelsa LG Polls: LP Candidate Faults BYSIEC, PDP Over Alleged Disenfranchisement
Chairmanship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last Saturday’s local government elections in Bayelsa State for the Sagbama Local Government Area, Hon.Christopher Ogosi, has described as ‘undemocratic and worrisome’, the entire processes of the polls.
Speaking to newsmen in Sagbama town, headquarters of the Sagbama Council area, the Labour party chairmanship contender alleged that the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has subverted the aspiration and yearnings of the electorate for good governance through deliberate disenfranchisement.
He alleged that from the eve of the election through to the date of the exercise, information at his disposal showed that the state government never wanted the exercise to be credible.
Hon. Ogosi who also alleged that the Nigeria Police Force, which he supposed should help in ensuring a hitch-free exercise by securing electoral materials, lives and properties of citizens before, during and after the elections, rather compromised to render the process undemocratic.
“Since early Friday evening that the electoral materials were brought to Sagbama town, rather than take them to the INEC office here where the materials can then be distributed early Saturday morning to the various wards and communities of the LGA, the Police through orders of the PDP, have decided to keep these materials in the Divisional Police Station, Sagbama.
“This is the first time this is happening in this LGA. In all previous elections, they’ve been keeping electoral materials at the Sagbama LGA office of the INEC before they’re distributed.
“We’ve kept vigil since Friday evening that these materials arrived Sagbama. While the Police never allowed any other body or party to go even close to their station to see these materials, we saw several PDP stalwarts driving into the Police station in their vehicles. I don’t want to mention names here, but we saw them”, the Labour party candidate said.
The Chairmanship contender who also alleged that the electoral materials for five wards of the Local Government Area were not accounted for/distributed at the Police station by the electoral umpire, vowed to reclaim his mandate through the judiciary.
He said upon visiting his unit to cast his vote and subsequent information he gathered from his agents and supporters across most units and wards of the Local Government Area, he confirmed that there were no sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the BYSIEC ad-hoc staff deployed to conduct the polls.
“When I went to my voting place (Unit 9) of ward 10, Sagbama Town, to cast my vote, surprisingly there were no tables and chairs and other sensitive and non sensitive materials for the BYSIEC ad-hoc staff to conduct the elections. So was it in many other wards and units of the LGA.
“There’s no ink, no biros, no result sheets, etc. These are indications that BYSIEC and the PDP led government of Bayelsa state never wanted to conduct the elections in the first place”, Hon. Ogosi added.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa West Senatorial Vice-chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Michael Magbisa, has described as falsehood, the allegations leveled against the PDP and the electoral umpire by the Labour Party local government chairmanship contender.
Magbisa who spoke with newsmen in Sagbama Town, commended the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC) and the electorate across the Sagbama and Ekeremor council areas, his official jurisdiction, and described the polls as ‘peaceful’ and ‘credible’.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from Saturday, August 8, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
The commission announced the extension in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
According to INEC, the decision followed appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the submission process through the dedicated online portal.
“The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026,” the commission said.
In a a related development, INEC announced the suspension of PVC collection in Osun State ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The commission said voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced Permanent Voter Cards would have until midnight on Sunday, August 9, to print downloadable copies of their cards.
The electoral body explained that the deadline was necessary to enable it compile data on downloaded PVCs and produce final statistics on the total number of cards collected ahead of the election.
INEC said PVC collection in Osun commenced at the Registration Area level from July 22 to 28, 2026, but was extended to July 31 following complaints about large crowds and difficulties experienced by voters at collection centres.
The exercise subsequently moved to the local government level and ran from August 1 to 7.
The commission also disclosed that replacement downloadable PVCs had been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas following the theft of cards during attacks on the two collection centres.
It stressed that the stolen cards could not be used to vote.
INEC reassured Osun residents of its preparedness for the August 15 governorship election.
“The commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
“INEC reassures the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August, 2026,” the statement said.
The commission said the deadline, initially set for Saturday, 8 August, has been extended to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, following appeals from political parties for more time.
INEC also announced that the window for voters who applied to replace lost, damaged or defaced PVCs to download their replacement cards will close at midnight on Sunday, 9 August.
The move is to enable the commission compile final PVC collection figures ahead of the 15 August Osun governorship election.
INEC said replacement downloadable PVCs have also been provided to affected voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central Local Government Areas after hoodlums carted away cards from two collection centres, stressing that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.
The commission reaffirmed its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive election in Osun State.
Gov. Kefas made the remarks over the weekend at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, during the flag-off of the second phase of the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach in Taraba State, organised as part of activities marking Prof. Yilwatda’s 58th birthday.
The governor commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing to mark his birthday by providing medical care to people in need.
“What Professor Nentawe did is a powerful demonstration of what leadership should be,” Gov. Kefas said.
He assured that his administration would continue to support initiatives that complement government efforts to improve healthcare delivery and the wellbeing of residents.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Yilwatda called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
He said his decision to celebrate his 58th birthday in Taraba State was deliberate and informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the intervention followed a needs assessment and was extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said the exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
Prof. Yilwatda said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including people who required surgical procedures.
He said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
The Taraba State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bordiya Buma, commended the initiative, saying it was consistent with the Renewed Hope agenda and efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
Dr Buma said the second phase followed the successful completion of the first phase, which was conducted simultaneously in six local government areas, with two LGAs selected from each of the three senatorial districts.
According to him, more than 10,000 patients were attended to during the first phase, including people with medical and surgical conditions.
He disclosed that 327 general surgeries, 71 eye surgeries and 575 dental procedures were carried out during the exercise.
The commissioner expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Medical Outreach and thanked Prof. Yilwatda for supporting the initiative and choosing Taraba State as a beneficiary.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Prof. Yilwatda for choosing Taraba State to mark his 58th birthday through a medical outreach.
Prof. Pate said making healthcare the centrepiece of the birthday celebration was significant because health affects everyone.
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