Bayelsa election: Labour Party candidate, Udengs Eradiri rejects governorship election result

The Labour Party governorship candidate in the recently concluded Bayelsa State governorship election, Udengs Eradiri, has expressed dissatisfaction with the electoral process and the subsequent victory of Governor Douye Diri. Diri, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, secured a total of 175,196 votes, defeating his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress, who garnered 110,108 votes, while Eradiri finished third with 905 votes.

Speaking at a press conference held at his campaign secretariat in Yenagoa on Tuesday, Eradiri rejected the results, stating that the November 11, 2023, contest did not adhere to the fundamental principles and established procedures that democratic elections should be free, fair, credible, and peaceful.

Eradiri revealed that he and his team were currently analyzing the results and contemplating the next course of action. He alleged widespread vote-buying during the election, asserting that the state government had transformed polling units into market squares and business centers where votes were allegedly bought, sold, and bargained for.

Labeling vote-buying as a “crime against humanity,” Eradiri criticized the practice as a sign of incompetence, leadership failure, and cluelessness on the part of the buyers. He highlighted the questionable process at polling units, claiming it encouraged the exchange of votes for money, making it difficult for voters to exercise their right freely.

Accusing INEC officials and security agencies at polling units of complicity, Eradiri called for an investigation into electoral officers’ conduct and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the alleged monetary inducements that marred the Bayelsa election.

Despite the challenges, the LP flagbearer emphasized his commitment to challenging the existing system in Bayelsa to address issues such as the lack of potable water, inadequate infrastructure, pervasive poverty, and deficiencies in the educational sector. He reassured the people of his determination to persist in challenging the system until Bayelsa is rescued from the grip of poverty, underdevelopment, and other leadership challenges.