The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced its decision to boycott the local government selections slated for April 6, 2024. In a statement released by its State Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, the party expressed distrust in the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), alleging its partiality towards the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Buokoribo accused BYSIEC of being composed of PDP members and claimed that there is a predetermined list of winners set to be announced after the purported elections on April 6. He highlighted the failure of the PDP to conduct primaries in 2023, leading to the postponement of the elections until now.
According to Buokoribo, the issuance of an election notice by BYSIEC should have been followed by a conduct of primaries, but the PDP’s internal conflicts prevented this from happening. He emphasized that in normal circumstances, only emergencies or natural disasters could justify the postponement of elections, which is not the case in this situation.
As a result, Buokoribo urged all APC members and supporters to refrain from participating in the elections. This boycott reflects the party’s lack of confidence in the electoral process and its commitment to protest against perceived injustice and bias.
