Yenagoa, Nigeria: Violence, fraud and the kidnapping of election officials have forced a partial re-run of a vote for a new governor in former president Goodluck Jonathan's home state, the electoral body said Monday.
Voters went to the polls on Saturday in the southern state of Bayelsa but the election was extended into Sunday because of unrest in the Southern Ijaw local government area.
Rival supporters of incumbent governor Seriake Dickson, of Jonathan's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clashed with those of former governor Timipre Sylva, from President Muhammadu Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC).
One woman was shot dead, according to police. Unofficial reports said at least four people died.
The local commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Baritor Kpagih, said the vote in Southern Ijaw was "substantially marred by violence, ballot box-snatching and hostage-taking of electoral officers".
He added: "This falls short of internationally acceptable thresholds for credible elections.
"Consequently, the commission has decided, in the interest of the integrity of the process, to cancel the governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
"A new date for the conduct of the election in the area will be announced."
The vote was being closely watched after an inconclusive election for the Kogi state governorship two weeks ago also saw claims of fraud and the sudden death of the APC candidate when he was poised to win.
The new APC candidate was eventually declared winner on Sunday after a partial re-run of the vote in 90 disputed areas.
In Bayelsa, returning officer Zana Akpagu said results from seven of the eight local government areas showed the PDP ahead of the APC by 105,748 votes to 79,594.
There were 120,827 voters in Southern Ijaw.
Jonathan won more than 98 percent of the vote in Bayelsa during his unsuccessful re-election bid in March.
AFP
