The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday said nobody died during the November 16 Bayelsa State governorship election.
The debunked Governor Seriake Dickson’s claim that no fewer than 22 people were killed.
Dickson said 12 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members were killed in acts of violence that characterised the election.
Besides the 12, Dickson said 10 other residents were beheaded during the polls, which he described as bloody.
“So far, 12 deaths were recorded. Their offence was being PDP members and for attending PDP rally. We have not heard the last of the brutality they visited on law-abiding citizens in Nembe.
“They also beheaded, mutilated and actually butchered some citizens of the state. From eye-witness accounts, the people they slaughtered and butchered were close to 10,” Dickon said.
But, the Police, INEC and APC, in separate interviews with our correspondent, said nobody died.
INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity Department, Mr Wilfred Ifogha, said for the first time in the history of Bayelsa elections, no soul was lost.
According to him, foreign and domestic observers did not report any death.
Ifogha said all the INEC ad-hoc employees deployed to conduct the election returned safely, insisting that the poll was a watershed in Bayelsa’s history.
He said: “As far as INEC is concerned, there was no report of such whatsoever. Our ad-hoc employees came back safely.
“People came out and voted peacefully. There was no report of death for the first time in Bayelsa. No soul was lost. No casualty in Bayelsa”.
Also, the police said nobody died during the poll.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Butswat Asinim, said the Bayelsa poll was adjudged the most peaceful election in the state’s history.
He said: “Nobody died during the governorship election in Bayelsa. In fact, it was adjudged the most peaceful poll in the history of the state. There was no casualty at all.”
The APC in Bayelsa cautioned the governor on his utterances and urged him to accept defeat.