Former President Goodluck Jonathan voted in the Governorship election in Bayelsa State where incumbent Governor Duoye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipreye Silva are the key contenders.
Jonathan who voted at polling unit 39 in Otazi Ward 13, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa, called on the National Assembly to take appropriate legislative measures to stop off-cycle elections in the country.
He said that it was important for Nigeria to have a unified electoral calendar.
He told newsmen at his Otuoke country home, that the National Assembly should legislate the off-season election out of the country’s political system.
“It is neither the best for the country nor a globally acceptable practice.
“Basically this is an off-season election, I get worried about off-season elections and will use this opportunity to plead with the National Assembly to block it.
“This is not the best practice. The country can elect their people at the same time like the Americans that elect everybody at the same time,” he said.
According to him, if we continue with this, there will be a time the Nigerian presidential election will be off-season, and Nigerians should be worried.
“When I say Nigeria presidential election may be off-season, they may say how and why, but it almost happened in 2007, when I was the running mate to late Umaru Musa Yaradua.
“In that election, seven Justices presided over the case, and three of them said the process be annulled while four of them sustained it.
“If one had crossed over by now the Nigerian election would have been off-season,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa says its Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO), abducted on Friday, has regained his freedom.
The SPO was abducted by gunmen on his way to the Registration Area Centre – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama Local Government Area.
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity of the state INEC in Yenagoa, Mr Wilfred Ifogah, confirmed the cheering news in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday.
According to Ifogah, the officer is hale and hearty.
The officer, whose name was not disclosed, was abducted while waiting at Amassoma Jetty to board a boat to his place of deployment.
The Spokesman for the Police Command in the state, CSP Asinim Butswat, could not be reached for comments.
Credit: NAN
