The Bayelsa State Government has condemned in strong terms the disruption of the National Convention of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) by hoodlums in Yenagoa on Saturday night while counting of votes was going on.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement on Sunday the hoodlums struck with the devilish intent to frustrate the inevitable victory of the candidates who were in clear lead during the election.

He described as unfortunate the brazen acts of the hoodlums who stormed the Izon House Venue of the election to disrupt the process.

The hoodlums had attacked the generator house, cut power supply to the venue before going for the electoral materials to disrupt the process when the votes were being counted on after the election.

The State Government’s Spokesman called on the police authorities and other security agencies to investigate the incident and arrest those behind the heinous act with a view to prosecuting the culprits and their sponsors.

According to the hoodlums struck when they and their sponsors, realised that Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, Francis Doukpola and Inatimi Spiff were coasting home to victory when the youths invaded the place.

Iworiso-Markson said that government can confirm that the trio were in clear lead from the strong indications from polls and interactions with delegates and leaders.

He stressed that it was clear that the motive of the dastardly attack was to prevent their inevitable victory and inauguration which only those opposed to them could have sponsored.

The Commission stated that the electoral and steering committee were advised against conducting the election late to prevent the process from extending into the night.

He stressed that the leaders of the state government and security agencies had earlier advised the leaders of the INC and the organisers in charge of the convention to postpone to it to the following day if it was going to drag into the night but the advice was ignored.

Iworiso-Markson noted that those who carried out the brazen acts and their cohorts should not be allowed to go free without being made to face the wrath of the law.

He said: “The Government of Bayelsa State condemn the unfortunate disruption of the National Convention of the Ijaw National Congress in Yenagoa on Saturday night.

“We call on the police and other security agencies to investigate this unfortunate incident and ensure the arrest of those behind it with a view to bringing them book.

“It is quite sad that the Electoral Committee went ahead to conduct the election in the evening in spite of the advice that the election be postponed to the following day to prevent the process from being hijacked by criminal minded elects.

“Since last night, several Information channel were activated and several leads were pursued to uncover those behind the reprehensible conduct.”

He said that INC teams and security agencies are looking into the discovery of dumped INC electoral materials in Patani Delta State, the home town of one of the Presidential aspirants, which were discovered by locals and handed over to the police in the night.

He said Government also can also confirm that criminal hideouts are being monitored even as those with useful information are called upon to make it available to the police for thorough investigation.

He added another box of ballot materials was found opposite the Ijaw House venue not far from where a son of one of the contestant stayed to receive all manner of questionable characters believed to be cultists days before the election.

Iworiso-Markson said that the government was of the opinion that this incident was executed with the intent to embarrass the state government and its agencies.

He thanked the delegates and leaders for their commitment to issues of serious importance to the Ijaw nation.

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