BYS TRIBUNAL : Violence broke out in Southern Ijaw when Governor Dickson arrived on election day – Witness

The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal commenced the hearing of the application of the All Progressives Congress candidate in the election, Timipre Sylva, on Wednesday with a revelation that violence broke out in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area during the election upon the arrival of the State Governor, Seriake Dickson.

According to the first witness called by Sylva, David Boyai, the election process was going on peaceful in Okoroma area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area until Dickson, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, showed up.
Several people were reported dead in the aftermath of the violence in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Even the rerun election, scheduled for the following day, December 6, 2015, could not hold as a result of the violence.
The process had to be concluded on another scheduled date.

Boyai, who is a chieftain of the APC, made his position known while being crossed examined by the lead counsel to the Governor, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN).

Earlier, Oyetibo had challenged the jurisdictional issue of the filing of the original copies of the petition.
He said the original copies of the petition were received on May 5.

He said the issue ought to be resolved first before going into the hearing proper.
Responding, the petitioner’s counsel, Sebastine Hon (SAN), said there was no issue in the respondent’s objection to the filing.

Hon referred the tribunal to the third paragraph of the first schedule of the Electoral Act, adding that the argument was not tenable.
He urged the tribunal to dismiss it.

In his response, the tribunal Chairman. Kazeem Alogba, advised counsel to parties in the suit to raise their objections in their written addresses.