Bayelsa Decides 2023 The Labour Party’s Governorship Candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, Raises Concerns Over Alleged Irregularities and Vote-Buying in Saturday’s Election.
Udengs Eradiri, the gubernatorial candidate for the Labour Party in Bayelsa State, expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of the recent governorship election in the state. According to him, the electoral process was marred by irregularities, specifically pointing to the alleged buying and selling of votes.
Eradiri, who cast his vote in Agudama-Ekpetiama community, Yenagoa Local Government Area, claimed that vote-buying was rampant, with people openly engaging in the practice. In an interview with reporters, he revealed an encounter with a voter who expressed willingness to sell her vote, to which Eradiri responded by stating his refusal to participate in such activities.
Furthermore, Eradiri raised concerns about the purported change in the identities of Labour Party polling agents by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the election day.
He emphasized that his decision to contest the election was not driven by a desire to engage in vote-buying or inducements. Instead, Eradiri entered the race with the intention of bringing positive change and addressing issues he deemed problematic in the state.
Eradiri lamented the prevalence of behind-the-scenes vote transactions, where voters openly displayed their ballots to confirm that they had voted in a certain way. He criticized the apparent prioritization of monetary incentives over the candidates’ qualifications and proposed policies, stating that many voters seemed more concerned about financial gains than the future development of the state.
In light of these concerns, Udengs Eradiri’s allegations raise questions about the integrity of the electoral process in Bayelsa State and underscore the need for a thorough examination of the reported irregularities.
“LP Governorship Candidate Sheds Light on Alleged Manipulation of Polling Unit Agents’ Names”
Udengs Eradiri, the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Bayelsa State, brought attention to the alleged manipulation of the names of LP polling unit agents during the recent election. Speaking about the issue, Eradiri revealed that they had submitted complete forms for 2,244 agents to INEC. However, when INEC sent printed tags, especially for four local government collation agents who were also their local government chairmen, there was a discrepancy.
According to Eradiri, the printed tags displayed the names of the agents, including their own, but with faces that did not match. He claimed that this mixing of faces on the tags was intentional and deliberate. To address this concern, Eradiri stated that he contacted the national chairman of INEC, providing documentation of the issue, and received a copy of the correspondence.
Eradiri emphasized that these discrepancies were not errors on their part but were allegedly introduced during the printing of the tags by INEC. As a result, he asserted that LP agents faced challenges in several polling units as a consequence of the deliberate mismatch between names and faces.
This revelation adds another layer of complexity to the controversies surrounding the Bayelsa State governorship election, raising questions about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process. Eradiri’s claims highlight the need for a thorough investigation into the alleged intentional discrepancies in the names of polling unit agents, potentially impacting the credibility of the election results.
“The Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate expressed his disappointment with the electorate, attributing the state’s lack of progress in good governance, quality leadership, and development to the voters. He expressed his disillusionment not only with the electoral process but also with the people themselves.
According to him, he had expected voters to prioritize addressing the evident issues of poverty, neglect, and leadership incompetence. However, he lamented that the voters seemed more focused on immediate financial gains than the broader concerns of education and the economy. The candidate admitted to feeling sadness, reflecting on the possibility of misjudging the electorate’s readiness to express their dissatisfaction through the ballot.”
Explore Naijaecho.com.ng fore more NEWS