Bayelsa Election: TMG Urges Candidates To Ensure Credible Polls, Deploys 99 Observers

The Transition Monitoring Group, (TMG) has urged candidates in the supplementary poll in Southern Ijaw and polling 101 units across Bayelsa State to shun violence that marred the Dec. 5, 2015, election.

TMG, an observer election coalition that made the call in a statement issued by Mr Armsfree Ajanaku, Media Manager of the Non-Governmental Organisation on Thursday, said it will deploy 99 election observers to monitor the poll.

"TMG calls on the political parties and the contestants to ensure the sad incidents of December 5, 2015, are not repeated come January 9, 2016.

"TMG calls on the security agencies to ensure the area is secured for the peaceful conduct of the poll on January 9, 2016.

"Above all, TMG urges eligible voters who are coming out to exercise their franchise in Southern Ijaw and other affected polling units, to conduct themselves with utmost decorum," Mr Ajanaku said.

The December 5, governorship election was marred by violence that compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the polls in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) and declare the election inconclusive.

TMG regretted that the security agencies were unable to deal with the violence despite early indicators in its report shared with INEC, security agencies, and other stakeholders.

"All this happened in spite of early warning signs from TMG Pre-Election Observation reports, which indicated a likelihood of violence in a number of LGAs.

"It will be recalled that the Bayelsa governorship election of December 5, 2015, was declared inconclusive as a result of violence that undermined the process.

"Political actors mobilized militants to do their bidding resulting in the harassment and intimidation of voters, election observers, and INEC officials," TMG stated.

According to Mr Ajanaku,  TMG will use its 'Quick Count' election observation methodology based on well-established statistical principles and sophisticated information technologies to provide timely and accurate authentication of results declared by INEC.

"Throughout the supplementary Election Day on January 9, 2016, TMG Quick Count observers will keep an eye on the process in Southern Ijaw and other affected polling units.

"The Quick Count observers will be at their pre-assigned polling units all day to report on various processes, including the set up by INEC officials, accreditation, voting, counting, and the announcement of results.

"Immediately after INEC announces, TMG Quick Count will VERIFY the final result as announced by the electoral umpire.

"The Quick Count verification of the result will be based on impeccable data from a representative random sample of polling units," it stated.

TMG further said that the Quick Count data would give the electorate, political parties, voters and other stakeholders important insights on whether the outcome of the election reflects the vote cast by the people of Bayelsa State or not.