The Bayelsa governor, Seriake Dickson, sounded negative about the ongoing governorship election in the state, when he spoke with reporters about the general conduct of the election.
“Gentlemen of the press, today is a sad commentary on our nation’s democracy,” Mr Dickson said to reporters around 12:20 p.m at his Polling Unit 5, Ward 2, Sagbama, as he arrived to cast his vote.
He was accompanied by his wife and some aides.
“As we are speaking, in this day and age, gun-wielding militiamen, with the aid of security forces, have overrun hapless electoral officials.
“Most of the electoral officials in Southern Ijaw, as we speak, are kidnapped and held hostage.”
Mr Dickson said election did not take place in Southern Ijaw, except Amassoma.
He said, “Everyone knows APC has no structure in Bayelsa to win an election, but they have armed militias, surveillance contractors, who kill and maim for APC.
“They also have the Nigerian army and rogue elements in the police force, working in concert with them to deny the citizens their right to vote.
“This has been the lots, this has been what we have been managing since 2015, with the APC at the centre is not caring about the dignity of our people.”
The governor accused the APC federal government of being “too hungry” to make Nigeria a one-party state.
He described himself as a “man of peace” who would always stand for peace and respect for human dignity.
The governorship election is not yet over in the state, as voting is still going on at some polling units were election materials arrived late.
