Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has suffered a major set back following the cancellation of the over 24,000 controversial votes purportedly recorded in Ward 11,12 and 13 of Mini, Ikensi and Oluasiri in Nembe Local Government Area of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The cancellation of the votes, which followed the protest by stakeholders, particularly members of the Peoples Democratic Party over the hijack of election materials by APC thugs in Nembe-Bassambiri and refusal to allow voters, including supporters of the PDP, to cast a single vote, was said to have thrown Sylva’s camp into confusion.
The PDP also alleged that most of the votes purportedly recorded by the APC in the area were cooked up and “are voodoo votes” that should be cancelled.
The votes from Mini, Ikensi and Oluasiri communities were therefore cancelled after INEC officials reviewed the PDP claims.
PDP agent for the Ward, Douglas Etulankimor Sampson, who confirmed the development, said it was regrettable for APC to deny almost 30,000 voters in the ward the opportunity to cast their votes during Saturday’s off-cycle Governorship election in the area.