The British High Commission Promises of Free/Fair Election In Bayelsa

 

As the Bayelsa State Governorship Election draws closer, the British High Commission  has volunteered to support  Bayelsans to make sure that there is a free, fair, and credible elections come  November 11  2023.

The Political Secretary, British High Commission, Abuja, Hamish Tye stated this on Wed  in Yenagoa during  his visit  to Udengs Eradiri the governorship candidate of the Labour Party for the November Governorship Election.

 Speaking on his reason for being in Yenagoa, Tye said his team was in  Bayelsa to meet with the governorship candidates, get a better idea of the issues shaping the poll  and   a better understanding of the manifesto of each governorship candidate.

He  said"We have come to Bayelsa to meet with the governorship candidates and to get a better idea of  the reasons why they want to be contesting in the election.

  "We don't have any demands per say but our view is that the election should be peaceful and credible. We also discussed the idea of peace accord and that will be followed up on."

 The  Labour Party Governorship Candidate,  Udengs Eradiri said that  the visit was to assess the personalities of each candidate and their dispositions as it concerns peace and security.

"Generally, they wanted to know why I want to be governor and what I am bringing to the table. It afforded me the opportunity to express the Labour Party agenda for the leadership of Bayelsa State. 

"For me the concerns that I raised and I keep raising is against vote buying which is already ongoing by appointments that are being dished out by the government of the day. They promised 17 members per polling unit, they are paying N100,000 each. 

"As for me, I am creating a lot of jobs for young people. Since I came into this race,  I have seen the jittery nature of the government. I have seen them coming to Labour Party members into government. Most of them have been employed, most of them have been appointed. 

"So I am grateful that I am not a  governor yet, I am creating Jobs for young people. This is what he should have done months ago, doing it now, amounts to vote buying, it amounts to inducing gullible Bayelsans thinking that their lives want to start whereas it's just for three months. 

"Some of them won't even get salary, it is just a show of desperation to use the people's wealth to buy them. It is the responsibility of government to appoint aides that will work for the progress of the state. Appointing them now, what happened all these three years and half. What has been happening to those positions? 

"It means that authority not used is authority lost. For three and half years, we didn't have those positions, it means that we failed in our responsibility. 

"We violated the oath of office and the constitution of Bayelsa and the federal republic by not filling those positions that are being filled today as a result of election. 

"The other is the way and manner INEC has been reduced to a point where people who think they are in control have began to talk about how they will influence postings in INEC, how they are going to write result. Those are the issues we are bringing to the international community. He said