Bayelsa election Is the most monetised in Nigeria’s history –Labour Party candidate, Udengs

• During a press briefing at his Yenagoa campaign office, Eradiri accused the state government of depleting the treasury and using taxpayers’ money to influence voters, likening the process to a market square or business center
  

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The Labour Party’s governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s election.

Despite the Independent National Electoral Commission declaring Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner, Eradiri criticized the election, stating it deviated from democratic principles.

During a press briefing at his Yenagoa campaign office, Eradiri accused the state government of depleting the treasury and using taxpayers’ money to influence voters, likening the process to a market square or business center.

He said, “Our state resources were used to intimidate our traumatised people, who have been impoverished by this government. This government deliberately weaponised poverty and forced the people to sell their conscience for money at the poll.

“I consider vote-buying a crime against humanity. I cannot engage in vote-buying because it is a demonstration of a lack of performance, unpopularity, incompetence and leadership failure. I have always emphasised its incompetence. I am shocked at the level it took the malfeasance to.

“The state government has added another record to its bag of incompetent achievements, making the November 11 Bayelsa election the most monetised poll in the history of the country.

“I contested this election to prove a point that this incompetence in Bayelsa can be challenged. I contested to solve the problems of lack of potable water, dearth of infrastructure, ravaging poverty and rot in the educational sector.”

Eradiri, who faulted the alleged vote-buying that occurred during the election in connivance with INEC officials and security agents at polling units, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe all electoral officers who participated in the election.

“They have to be probed. I wonder why INEC cannot enforce its rules to ensure credible elections in the country. There was intimidation and harassment of voters, violence, bypass of BVAS among other irregularities, which vitiated whatever results they announced at the collation centre,” he said.

Eradiri declared himself as the winner of the election.