The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced its decision to manually transmit the results of the upcoming Bayelsa governorship election scheduled for November 11. This decision was made public during an interactive session with religious leaders and faith-based organisations.
The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Obo Effanga, met with religious leaders and faith-based organisations in Yenagoa on Wednesday. He assured them that INEC was ready to conduct a free, fair, and credible election, using the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to verify voters.
He said, “You can vote as soon as you get the ballot paper. The PVC collection is in its fourth week and will end on October 11. If you have not collected your card yet, please go to the INEC office in your local government area.”
He appealed to the stakeholders to advise their candidates to maintain peace during the election process. “Please pass this message to your members and politicians who are also part of your church,” he added. He also informed them that 16 political parties have fielded candidates for the election.
One of the religious leaders, Rev. Joseph Belema, praised INEC for its efforts and stressed the importance of a free, fair, and credible election for choosing competent leaders. He urged the candidates not to see the election as a matter of life and death, reminding them that only one person will emerge victorious.