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The Campaign Council of incumbent member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly representing Ogbia Constituency one, and House of Representatives member-elect on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ogbia Federal Constituency of the State, Chief (Hon) Mitema Obordor has described as spurious and unfounded, allegations of electoral fraud which were alleged by the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and former Commissioner of Information and Orientation in the State, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson.
A Statement from the Director-General of the Obordor’s campaign council, Chief(Dr) Augustus Elliot Osomu issued to Newsmen in Yenagoa reads in parts:
“Our attention at Team Obordor Campaign Council is drawn to a Press Conference held by a former PDP Member who lost the Primary Election for the House of Representatives and swiftly went and registered with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to announce his visibility in the Ogbia political terrain.
“In his Press Conference he made some vague, spurious, malicious and libellous allegations against INEC officials, security agents, and the PDP as a Party, and unidentified Members of the Party.
“He described the National Election held on Saturday the 25th day of March 2023 as a charade, malfeasance, and flawed. He also alleged that the BVAS machines were preloaded, materials arrived late, voting and collating into the night, over voting, use of fake agents, use of wrappers and foodstuffs to exchange for votes, and a lot of other complains. Accordingly, he is praying for the cancellation of results of many communities, except the units that he won.”
It also reads: “However, his claims and assertions trigger some questions: Who, when, and where were the BVAS machines preloaded? Were the units he won preloaded? Were his agents not only feeding him with blunders to justify the money they have extracted from him?
“Do the electorates know him to attract votes that could make him win any election when he cannot even express himself in his native dialect? Doesn’t he know that the votes he managed to get were just sympathy votes because of his financial inducement on the hungry village people?
“What visible contributions has he made in the Ogbia kingdom that could attract any vote apart from those who wanted to enjoy the money he was doling out? How many people has he worked for in the politics of Ogbia that could warrant him to get their votes in his debut?”
The statement further added thus: “What he should know is that the electorates in the Ogbia kingdom know the difference between the township politicians and those living with them on daily basis.
“You cannot swoop the political scene like a hawk to grap their position and escape to Lagos and Abuja.
“The electorates know that when they give you their mandate to represent them, they will not have a glimpse of you again because you have not been living with them.
“The best advice to the township politicians like you is for you to come home and live with your people for them to know you well, and to also enable you speak your native dialect fluently. Without that it will be difficult for you to win any election. Election is different from appointment. Election is the voice of the people, but appointment is based on your friendship with the person at the helm of governance. That was why your friend appointed you as Commissioner. It wasn’t because you were a grassroots politician.
“So how can you ever equate yourself with Hon Chief Mitema Obordor (Akisi iv), the real grassroots politician that lives with the villagers and supports them daily.
“And to amplify his votes and success is that he was taken round the Ogbia kingdom by Hon Chief Osomu Augustus Elliot (The Young Okilo) his campaign DG that is loved by the Ogbia people.
“Is there any Township Politician that can withstand the combination of Hon Chief Mitema Obordor and Hon Chief Osomu Augustus Elliot the Young Okilo?
The statement urged Mr Iworiso-Markson to accept his defeat, just as it partly described him as ‘a beloved son.
“Our beloved son, just accept the defeat and do not allow greedy politicians to deceive you to go and waste your resources on litigations.
“The hobby of some lawyers is to move around defeated politicians to deceive them to got to court so that they could be feeding on them. In Bayelsa State we have many of such lawyers. So do not fall victim to them.
“If you still desire to contest elections acclamatize yourself with your people; also work for others so that they will also work for you. Those who came around you only wanted to enjoy your finances because they know very well that you cannot withstand the PDP candidate, not to talk of such a formidable combination.
“The elections in the communities he enumerated were peaceful, free and fair. The accusations of electoral malfeasance or fraud as purported by Mr. Daniel Iworiso are not true, and should be discounted by all right thinking people.
“Obviously, even if Daniel Iworiso-Markson contest elections against Hon Chief Mitema Obordor 10 times in Ogbia, he cannot succeed, because Obordor is the man of the people. In this election the Young Okilo was behind him, so do you ever imagine that you can defeat them. It is not possible.
”Therefore, our beloved son accept defeat and rather plan for another election in the future if you are actually desirous to represent the Ogbia people. We wish you well, till next election.”
