Agbere Community: Pressure mount in Bayelsa Chieftancy poll over calls for disqualification of two candidates
....Cites violation of Agbere constitution
There is a new twist in the Agbere Amananaowei Contest with one of the contestants Mr. Ekpodowem Abidde writing a letter to the Chairman of The Electoral Committee of Agbere Community seeking the disqualification of the two other candidates, High Chief Reid Aladei and Chief Julius Torunariagha.
According to Abide, the two candidates, High Chief Reid Aladei and Chief Julius Torunariagha, have violated the Electoral Guidlines of Agbere Amananaowei Election, which was duly signed by the chairman Dr Tareala Nikade and secretary Barrister Dr. Kelvin Enokie Bribena respectively.
The said violated section clearly stated that anyone who is indebted to the community or has a dispute with the community is not eligible to contest for the Stool of Amananaowei of Agbere.
A check by our correspondent, showed that item “×” in the electoral guidelines showed clearly that a candidate must not be indebted to the community, while item “xiv” states that a candidate must not be in dispute with the community.
Also sighted in page 12, section 2.1.3.2 subsection iii of the Constitution of Agbere Community, It states that a candidate stands inelligible to contest the Agbere Amananaowei Election if he is indebted to the community.
Our correspondent spoke to a prominent indegene of Agbere Community, who pleaded anonymity, said the body language of the Chairman of the Electoral Committee showed bias for a particular candidate (name withheld).
And he also said the constitution and electoral guidelines are very unambiguous and explicit and expectation is for the Electoral Committee to do the needful and disqualify erring candidates and go ahead to declare Mr. Ekpodowem Abidde as Amananaowei Elect in accordance with section 2.1.4 subsection iii which clearly states “that a candidate for the election to the office shall be deemed to duly elected to such office, where being the only candidate nominated for the election.”
Meanwhile, a peace committee has been instituted and it is led by High Chief Ebikiri Akpolor, ” the peace committee is working to resolve all the grievances leading to the suspension of the Electoral Processes.”
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