The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was declared winner of the delayed governorship elections held in the oil-producing Bayelsa state on Saturday, news agencies reported. “The PDP candidate, Chief Diepree Alamieyesieghe has been duly elected and has therefore been declared winner of the elections,” Ebiowei Sokari, the spokesman of the electoral commission told Reuters on Sunday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
Less than 20 percent of the registered voters actually participated in the election contested by candidates of the three political parties - Alliance for Democracy (AD), All People’s Party (AP) and PDP, the independent ‘Guardian’ said yesterday. According to Reuters, one reason for the low turnout was a boycott of the poll called by ethnic Ijaw groups in protest against tight security imposed after clashes with government troops over the New Year. The election was then postponed for three weeks. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who monitored the election, expressed satisfaction with its smooth conduct, the ‘Guardian’ said.
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