Bayelsa Receives 2015 Report on Electoral Violence, Vows To Punish Offenders

Eniola Olayemi

Bayelsa State Executive Council yesterday vowed to ensure that sponsors and perpetrators of the 2015 electoral violence in the state faced the full weight of the law.

The council at its 100 meetings presided over by Governor Seriake Dickson, said it took the decision following the submission of the report by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the 2015 general elections.

The council said the mayhem would not be overlooked and called for the white paper on the report to enforce the required steps to punish all persons found culpable. Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kemela Okara, said the council took time to deliberate on the issue because of its importance.

He said it was also imperative following elections saying the government was committed to protecting the lives of the people and preventing avoidable deaths that characterized the last elections. He said: “We want to underscore the fact that Bayelsa is a state of law and order.

The Restoration Government believes in upholding law and order. And so we will not condone any action that will bring violence to our people in the name of seeking for elective offices. We take the lives of our people very serious and we must do all that we can to protect them”.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said: “Today, the council looked at the electoral violence of 2015, the general elections, leading up to the governorship election based on the report of the commission of inquiry. So it was resolved that the white paper on it should be produced.