Bayelsa NGO preaches against violence, vote buying

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB), has admonished the major political parties and their members to desist from any plan to use violence or monetary inducement to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. The group also urged the various political parties’ candidates and their supporters to think […]

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Coalition for Development and Democracy in Bayelsa (CDDB), has admonished the major political parties and their members to desist from any plan to use violence or monetary inducement to win the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.

The group also urged the various political parties’ candidates and their supporters to think of how to convince the electorate to vote for them through the enunciation of their plans and ideas on how to develop the state.

The executive director of the group, Mr Konrad Ekiyor Welson, at the end of a voter education exercise and sensitization against violence during the poll for communities in Sagbama LGA, yesterday, also charged security agencies and INEC to put leaders and major foot soldiers of the two major parties under surveillance to checkmate the deployment of arms, ammunition and thugs before, during and after the elections.

Welson said the voter education exercise took the CDDB team to the three constituencies of the LGA – Ofoni, Anagalabiri, Toru-Orua, Ogobiri and Ebedebiri.

Other communities visited included Sagbama, Tungbo, Tungbabiri, Angiama, Agbere and Odoni.

He reminded the people on the need for peaceful and non-violent election, and the electorate not to sell their votes but stand for credible candidates that would address the development challenges facing the state.

Welson, however, commended INEC for partnering with NGOs and CSOs in the state in carrying out the voter education exercise, and appealed to political parties and the state government to emulate the electoral umpire.