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By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Otuasega community, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa state Saturday elected Architect, Rans Jackson as substantive paramount ruler.
Speaking with newsmen shortly before the election, the community electoral committee chairman, Mr Bams Isiki said the Otuasega community which for years have had an acting Royal father following the extant laws of the community constituted an electoral umpire headed by him to conduct free, fair and credible polls for the position of paramount ruler.
According to the electoral chief, Mr Rans Jackson and chief Egberina koginam picked forms for the throne, hence election where fixed in the month of July, saying that however in that month election none of the two candidates polled the constitutional required 51% to be declared winner as there were recorded electoral irregularities in Ebarama-West compound which amounted to the cancellation and subsequent re-scheduling of election for that compound.
Mr Isiki maintained that nine out of the ten compounds which make up the community did not record malpractices, hence there results were upheld, stressing that with the Ebarama-West election conducted Saturday a winner would emerge.
Meanwhile reports reaching our medium have it that Architect, Rans Jackson has been declared winner of the Otuasega chieftaincy election few hours after the election.
According to sources, Jackson polled 63 out of a total of 66 votes cast in the Ebarama-West re-run while chief Egberina garnered 1 vote.
The sources informed nationalwire that with these votes scored by Jackson, the electoral umpire in consonance with its mandate announced him the winner, having secured 557 from the total of 1068 votes cast in both the July and the Saturday, August 26th Ebarama-West re-run even as chief Egerina polled a total of 511 votes.
In a related development, Egberina says the Isiki Bams lead electoral committee no longer has the mandate to conduct the polls. He harped that there was a court injunction restraining the electoral umpire from conducting the election. He stressed that the time frame given to the committee to do so have since elapsed. He maintained that he has received series of protest resignation letters from members of the electoral body, citing alleged unwholesome practices of the committee as reasons for pulling out there memberships.
Reacting further the visibly vexed Egberina re-emphasized his resolve to seek redress through the court, saying that he ought to have been declared winner following his lead in the July upheld nine compounds result.
However, while chief Egberina spits fire, in an exclusive chat with journalists shortly after he was announced winner architect Rans Jackson has promised to run an all inclusive ruler ship as he is poised to use his wealth of experience to fast track development to the community, arguing that Otuasega and her people have suffered enough from bad leadership.
