The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has said that the supplementary election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 units in the other local government areas of the state must go on because people in Bayelsa state are ready.
IPAC, a group made up of the political parties in the state, said though claims of alleged insecurity and non-readiness by the youth groups and politicians are false claims.
In a statement in Yenagoa by its Chairman, Prince Oniekpe and Secretary, Ben Elema, IPAC condemned those making the claims saying that the protest used as an excuse never happened.
The statement read “The claim by the youth groups under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Leaders on a desperate campaign for the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commission, REC and call for a shift in the January 9 election is false.
“We condemn in its entirety, the activities of the so-called group, that are apparently unaware of the decision taken by all stakeholders with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Abuja on December 17, 2015.
“Among decisions taken by the leadership of all the 20 political parties and their governorship candidates, is that the REC or any other official of INEC should not be redeployed, but rather, the REC was asked to work diligently to complete the election process in the state.
“Whoever is sponsoring such unpatriotic activities does not want peaceful election in the state. Bayelsa cannot afford to be dragged into the mud all the time by the inordinate ambition of power seeking politicians.
“We have resolved that Bayelsa people should totally disregard the false impression of lack of security in the state as it is meant to distract and put fear in the minds of the people.
“We stand by the decision of the December 17, Abuja meeting where all the governorship candidates agreed not to postpone the election or redeploy anybody and therefore respect all decisions so taken.”