Delegates numbering 1,309 have been accredited to elect the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa State.
A breakdown of the delegates according to their local government areas showed that 200 were from Southern Ijaw; 180, Yenagoa; 177, Sagbama and 166 Ogbia.
Others were Nembe 160; Ekeremor, 153; Kolokuma-Opokuma, 142 and Brass 130.
Arrangements for actual voting commenced at about 11pm following the arrival of the Returning Officer and Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, his committee members and observers from the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ishaku invited the agents of the parties to come forward to be guided through the process and read the Riot Act to the delegates and aspirants.
A former Chairman of Southern Ijaw, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, who was an agent of one of the aspirants and former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) observed that the state party officials should stop identifying with the committee since they were delegates and interested parties.
Ishaku ordered the Chairman of the party, Cleopas Moses and the party secretary, Keku Godspower to at the rows allocated to their local government areas.