1,056,862 Accredited Voters To Decide Who Becomes Bayelsa Governor: Mbu

 

The National Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in charge of Bayelsa , Akwa- Ibom and Rivers, Mrs May Agbamuche - Mbu has disclosed that Bayelsa State now  has about 1,056,862 accredited voters that will be deciding who occupies the Creek Haven come November, 11 2023.

This she said came as a result of delisting of 3,459 persons who were found to have either double registered or for other reasons.

This figure when added together will bring the number of voters who voted during the 2023  February Presidential election in Bayelsa  to 1,060,321.

Speaking on Thursday in Yenagoa  during the publication and presentation of e-copy of  voters register for 2023 off-cycle governorship election in the state to the political parties participating in the election,  she reiterated that the presentation of the  e-copy of the Voters Registration list  is in line with the time table and schedule of activities slatted for the 2023 Governorship in Bayelsa,Imo and Kogi as detailed 13 key activities for the implementation out of which the commission has successfully implemented 9.

She said the publication of the voters registers  was very important, stressing that similarly ,copies of Voters Register  in PDF will be presented to all political parties participating in the election.

She said that  INEC will deploy BIVAS in all the polling units, disclosing that  out of the 1,056 862 total registered voters in the state, 566,755 are male while 490,767 are female.

She also disclosed that the commission  lifted the suspension of Permanent Voters cards ( PVC,s ) collection  in the three states of Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi on the 10th of September , as all uncollected PVCs were made available for collection between 11th  and 10th of October ,2023. 

She further disclosed that the commission had trained Technical Support Staff that will be deployed to all Registration  Areas( RAs ) and Local Government Area to provide Technical Support for the BVAs.

She said ' The commission will publish the final figure of the PVCs collected before the date of the election .The commission  will deploy Bimordal Voters Accreditation System ( BVAs) in all the 2244 polling units of Bayelsa state"

" Be assured that the commission is committed to maintaining a high level of professionalism , accuracy ,impartiality and diligence in the discharge of its duties thereby protecting the integrity of the election process" she said.

Speaking earlier, the Resident Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa State,  Obo Effanga, 

 stated that the Commission is committed and prepared for the credible and successful governorship election in Bayelsa State.

He said the exercise is imperative for the political parties to know the number of persons registered and expected to vote during the election, so that they will know how to carry on with their campaigns.

He said just as INEC was prepared to do the right thing for a peaceful and credible election,the political parties should be prepared to do the same thing.

He said: “As the countdown to the state election on November 11, we are here to present voters register to all the political parties, so that they can know the number of persons registered and expected to vote during the election.

 " If you want to lose don't contest an election out of the 15 one person will win, with proper conduct one person from all, who is a Bayelsan must emerge"

“INEC is prepared for this election, we will do all we could to ensure that the election is successful, the only way anybody can win this election, is to get voters voting for them, therefore the political parties and candidates should be campaign now.

“We promised to do our best to ensure that this election is credible.

All the 16 political parties fielding candidates for the governorship election in the state all received their voters register.