The Election Petitions Tribunal in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh elections in some polling units in the Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency.
In its decision, the tribunal directed INEC to immediately withdraw the certificate of return previously awarded to member representing the Constituency in the House of Representatives , Chief Fred Agbedi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The tribunal also mandated the INEC to organise a fresh election for approximately 26,000 voters who were unlawfully excluded from the initial election.
The legal proceedings were initiated by Michael Bless Olomu, a candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who also contested the election.
Olomu contended that he should be declared as the rightful winner of the election due to incidents of violence that marred the electoral process.
He alleged that the violence, which was allegedly orchestrated by the opposition, had a significant impact on the election’s integrity.
Specifically, Olomu said elections did not take place in five wards yet results were collated.
According to him, the wards include Ward 5 (Ebedebiri), Ward 11 (Ofoni, Sagbama Local Government Area), Ward 12 (Ekeremor Local Government Area), along with Wards 3 and 4 in Ofoni, Sagbama LGA.
In his response, Chief Fred Agbedi said he was ready to take part in the supplementary election.