A Valentine Vacuum in Bayelsa State

Just as drums were being rolled out and rehearsal were being had of what should be a reality on a fateful Valentine’s Day, suddenly thunder struck and threw everyone into a state of commotion!

Can this be real? Or is it similar to what happened in Imo State? How can the candidate with the majority vote become the loser? Why wait till the eve of inauguration? Definitely, the gods must be blamed! But who are these gods?

David Lyon, as the governor-elect of Bayelsa State, was sacked by Nigeria’s apex court on the eve of his inauguration and assumption of office on the grounds that his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, presented a false certificate to the electoral body, INEC, in the build-up to the election.

Thus, the coast is clear for Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who had the second-highest number of votes and secured 25 per cent of votes in five of Bayelsa’s eight local governments to be declared the winner of the November 16 election. Guess you would say, wonders shall never cease in Nigeria!

The last 12hours of Nigeria’s political scene has been tough and interesting – and would be remembered and serve as a reference point for decades. The expectation of several people was dashed by the Supreme Court judgment in favour of the opposition.

However, what is most confusing is that the APC believed that the candidate of the PDP did not secure 25 per cent of votes as required by law. Thus, they are calling for a vacuum in the leadership of the state.

Will there be a Valentine Vacuum in Bayelsa State or this is the opportunity to the Speaker of the State House Assembly to step in as “Acting Governor”? But even the State House Assembly has been experiencing Vacuum of Speaker since late last year!

This matter tire for my Matthias!

Oluwaseun Adesanya
Social Impact Analyst
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oluwaseun-adesanya-928a4725/