Election timetable don show out for Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission has released the final timetable for the 2015 local government elections in the state.

The timetable contains the schedule of electoral activities for LGA elections which span October 2015 through February 2016.

Chairman of the commission, Chief Blessing Izagara, unveiled the new timetable during a stakeholders’ forum in Yenagoa,  Bayelsa State capital, on Thursday.

Izagara said the new timetable was the authentic one as the previous one published in some sections of the media did not pass through the necessary approval of the commission.

He also said the new timetable had been thoroughly vetted, corrected and approved by BYSIEC.

Izagara also explained that the timetable had taken into consideration the litigations that might occur after the elections as well as the handover date of the current government.

He said, “We call this meeting to carry everybody along on the issue of change in date of elections earlier published.

“It is important that we take cognisance of election litigations before the handover and that is what we have done.”

He further said between February 10 and April 17, 2016, was sufficient to conclude election litigation.

During the meeting, the state Chairman of Accord Party, Mr. A.O. Victor, pleaded with the commission to ensure that the new timetable was not changed again.

He also urged the commission to ensure a level playing field for all political parties in the forthcoming local government elections.

Responding to Victor’s plea, Izagara promised free, fair and better election.

He, however, advised all political parties to ensure that their agents were well behaved during the elections.

The chairman said, “While government has promised to provide security and enabling environment to guarantee credible election, the political parties should prepare their agents well for the elections, because some agents are involved in anti-party activities including selling out the party they claim to represent.”

In his remarks, BYSIEC  Commissioner for Publicity, Mr. Tari Bolou, advised the political parties to conduct transparent primaries.

He also urged the parties to invite the commission to observe their primaries because it is part of the statutory functions of the state electoral umpire to monitor activities of political parties, especially primary election.