The off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa State, held on the 11th of November 2023 has come and gone. The election which many pundits likened to the day of Armageddon due to the cloud of violence and ominous sense of fear that gripped the landscape of the oil-rich state had a peaceful outcome.
Prior to the election, violence and killing of perceived political opponents particularly in Nembe, Brass and some parts of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council Areas of the state were a source of worry and concern to all Bayelsans, in particular, and Nigerians in general.
On daily basis, the state was awash with reports of politically-motivated attacks which prompted the redeployment of the state’s Commissioner for Police twice.
The situation, however, got worse due to inflammatory utterances by desperate political actors, inciting their followers to be of battle ready to kill and throw away of any voter suspected of not being in support their candidate and party.
In the midst of the ominous cloud of orchestrated violence, the incumbent governor, Senator Douye Diri, known for his traditionally peaceful disposition, relentlessly preached the gospel of peace and unity to all and sundry across the political divide in the state. This he did even to the surprise of his ardent opponents in the governorship race. Notwithstanding, the sermon of peace preached, some hardened their hearts like the Biblical Pharaoh.
As chief security officer of the state, despite the enormous powers in his disposal, Diri continuously maintained equanimity. His peaceful, philosophical disposition in governance and the value placement of people as asset and their existence had no human input. He sees Bayelsans and others in the state as priceless and their lives remained paramount above any primordial political consideration. Though, as governor, he has everything at his disposal to deal decisively with any one who constitutes a threat to the state, but he decided not to tread the parts of an anarchical ruler.
These were some of the attributes the governor demonstrated all through the election, which many commentators on the election agree was largely responsible for 90 percent success of the election; except one isolated case of killing of a PDP supporter at the collation center at Brass Local Government Area and handful incidence of violence that were immediately resolved by the security agents.
Besides that, the general worry and pessimism that rend the heart of the people was the style of campaign exhibited by the APC in the state, that the ruling APC at the centre would unleash what it described as “federal might” to crush the ruling PDP in the contest.
To the amazement of many Bayelsans and those who closely monitored the election and its processes, the outcome was described as one of the best elections ever conducted by INEC in the history of Nigeria under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The election was free, fair and credible as attested by voters and even accredited non-state actors, who had their surveillance network spread across the state. They have commended INEC over her professional and transparent manner she conducted the election by upholding the principles of democracy.
The coalition of election observers led by a prominent activist Rex Anighoro gave INEC a part on the back for conducting credible election in the state. He particularly praised what he described as, “the very patriotic actions of the Commission, for ensuring the cancellation of votes that did not pass through BVAS accreditation process and as well did not reflect the will of the people especially in Nembe Local Government Area of the State.
The planned repetition of the 2019 electoral strategy using the local government council areas of Brass, Nembe and Southern Ijaw which have high quantity of registered voters as ghost votes in the election to win the election were aborted and the perpetrators were humiliated with ocean of tears clouding their faces.
Anighoro who addressed the media at the INEC collation Centre in Yenagoa further commended the gallantry of security agencies. He particularly hailed those at Yenagoa Wards 5 and 20 where they successfully recovered snatched ballot boxes by desperate agents of the political party without any loss of lives, ensuring that the votes were counted. The deployed security personnel ensured an agent of a particular party was successfully apprehended with arms and ammunition in furtherance of disrupting the elections to perpetuate election violence.
The civil society activist equally “wondered why a self-acclaimed special adviser on media and public affairs of a particular deputy governorship candidate who claimed to be from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area would be in Nembe was arrested and paraded in camera in possession of arms and ammunition in a planned promotion of violence in a contest of brothers”.
Contrary to the earlier claim that “federal might” will be deployed and the security agencies will have the electoral processes compromised, the security agencies rather conducted themselves with absolute professionalism and high sense of neutrality. They had all the waterways blocked with gunboats and had it supported by air surveillance to deter infiltration. The roads, communities and other flashpoint areas were not left out with security formations. The resolute teamwork of the security agencies disabled and aborted the planned deployment of arms and ammunitions by hired tugs to disrupt the election.
It is in this vein that President Tinubu expressed gratitude to INEC and security agencies “for working assiduously to create a level playing field for all contestants and the nation’s security agencies for maintaining law and order during the highly-anticipated elections”.
The president in a statement, “affirmed the need for sustained commitment to all efforts aimed at further sanitizing the electoral system and enhancing the credibility of future elections; noting that “the outcome of the election reflects the wishes of the people, emphasizing that democracy thrives when voters reward competence, transparency and good governance”.
Diri in his victory speech equally expressed his gratitude to Tinubu for his statesmanship by creating a level playing field in the electoral process which culminated in the conduct of free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa State.
He urged Bayelsans “to celebrate with temperance, as this victory is not the exclusive preserve of any one political party; rather it is the collective will of people united towards progress and a better future”.
At this juncture, one cannot hesitate to state that, President Tinubu deserves the commendation of all Bayelsans in particular and Nigerians in general for proving wrong the naysayers by resisting all the temptations and pressures to compromise the electoral process in Bayelsa State. This is clearly evident of his years of avowed commitment towards entrenching democratic values for the peace and progress of the country which is a litmus test that he has passed with enviable grade.
INEC on her part has opened a fresh article of faith in our March towards building a virile democracy, which is in line with Mr. President’s renewed hope agenda to transform the country. This is however a paradigm shift and indeed an emerging ethical rebirth in our electoral process. Mr. President has repositioned Nigerians democratic belief system and realigned their view that he is a beacon of hope in our electoral process, believing that, the Bayelsa election marks the beginning of restoring the eroded confidence in INEC. Therefore, INEC also need to be commended for not disappointing the voters in Bayelsa State in conducting free, fair and credible election in the state.
It is not out of place to commend the governor of Bayelsa, for the uncommon show of statesmanship and spirit sportsmanship all through the election. The successful conduct of the governorship election in the state is combination of several factors. Apart from the full commitment of INEC and the unbiased gallantry of the security agencies; the unwavering commitment of Diri towards the peace and unity of the people of the state was a key factor.
Moreso, greater population of Bayelsans and electorates in the demonstrated high level of confidence and commitment on the State project and wanted the continuation of the hard-earned peace and harmony in the state.
Another contributory factor was the competence he displayed in the management of the state resources and his sterling achievements were springboard in providing the necessary atmosphere for the near peaceful, free and fair and credible conduct of the election in spite of all the provocations and shenanigans actions by the APC in the state. There is no doubt, with the renewed mandate of Governor Diri for second tenure, there is a light of progress burning in the tunnel.
