By Brave Dickson
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality (MOSIEND) has rated the performances of INEC above the state electoral umpire, suggesting that the law be amended to authorize INEC to also conduct local government elections.
MOSIEND said this following what played out in last Saturday’s local government election in Bayelsa State where the ruling PDP won all the chairmanship and legislative seats.
In an interview with our correspondent, the National President of MOSIEND, Kennedy West described the poll as a selection, not an election.
He said the election was characterized by voter apathy, adding that the state electoral umpire did not give the opposition parties a level playing field.
According to West, “the poll was not conducted to give the opposition parties the confidence to participate.”
The Peoples Democratic Party won all the elective seats in all the eight local government councils of the state
The main opposition, being the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Labour Party, LP shunned the exercise, which was conducted by the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, BYSIEC.
It was the first local government election to be held under Senator Douye Diri-led administration.
