At least five people have reportedly lost their lives in the on-going supplementary governorship poll in Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State. They were said to have died during violent clashes in Nembe, but the Police Spokesman in Bayelsa, Mr Asinim Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the incident was yet to be reported. He said that the election was peaceful in most places.

Incidents of ballot box snatching in pockets of polling units in Amasoma Southern Ija LGA have also been reported.

Voting and accreditation commenced simultaneously across the communities visited across in Southern Ijaw.

Delays in arrival of election materials compelled voting to be delayed in Koluama 1 and Koluama 2 as well as Peremabiri and other areas where voting and accreditation started by 12 noon.

At Amatolo, Ward 10, more than 100 INEC officials, adhoc staff and election materials were stranded at the Registration Area Centre in the area till 12 noon.

It was gathered that the officials were awaiting to be transported by boat to their polling units.

There was adequate security in places visited in Southern Ijaw.

There were however allegations of snatching of election materials in some units in ward 10 at Amatolo.

The card readers deployed for the poll performed optimally in places visited. Voters who expressed their views on commended INEC for correcting the lapses of the card readers in December 5, 2015.

Michel Ebi, a domestic election observer in Anyama Ijaw, noted that the card readers worked effectively in the area.

“The card readers are very effective, they are performing well and we have no problems with it, INEC did well and corrected the problems noticed during the cancelled polls last year.

“If INEC continues this way, we shall be making progress in our electoral system,” he said.

At Peremabiri community, Koulama 1 and Koulama 2, and Okolobama the card readers were working well and was used for authentication of Permanent Voters Cards and accreditation of voters.

The election is a straight fight between incumbent governor Seriake Dickson, who was leading as at the time the ballot was declared inconclusive in December, and his immediate past predecessor, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

•Photo by Arodiegwu Eziukwu shows potential voters awaiting accreditation and voting at Anyama-Ijaw Primary School . . . today in Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa.

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