The APC candidate applauded the large turnout of voters in Ikire, stressing that it demonstrated that the people were not intimidated.

According to him: “INEC officials are here, the voters are here, security operatives are here. I want to commend the large turnout of voters in Ikire. It shows that people are not intimidated, and generally, things are going on fine across the state.”

Speaking on concerns about possible violence in Ikire, the APC candidate tasked the police and other security agencies to remain proactive in protecting voters and ensuring a peaceful exercise.

Oyebamiji, while commenting on the reported arrest of a politician, said he expected the police to discharge their duties professionally.

According to the voters, the incident occurred at about 9:30 am. A similar incident was also alleged to have occurred at Ward 4, Unit 13 around 10:30 am.

One of the voters said the people accused of sharing the money fled the area with some of the cash in a polythene bag.

“We don’t know how much was there. They ran away and used a polythene bag to take the money away,” the voter said in the video.

The voter also said those involved were sharing money despite instructions that cash should not be distributed at polling units.

“The rule given to us was that we should not give money to anyone. We did not cause any trouble; we were only running after them,” the voter said.

Some of the voters also displayed money they claimed to have recovered from people they accused of sharing cash, alongside a card they identified as belonging to the APC.

“This is the evidence. The card they used belongs to the APC, and their logo is on it,” the voter said.

The incident reportedly occurred at the polling unit of Najeem Folasayo Salaam, popularly known as Iwaloye, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate.

However, the voters alleged that the people caught sharing the money were linked to the APC and displayed an APC card as what they described as evidence.

“We are talking about Iwaloye, the ADC candidate. At his unit, APC members are sharing money. It happened at about 9:30am in Unit 7 and 10:30am in Unit 13,” the voter alleged.

Video.

He called on NDC members, candidates, stakeholders and supporters to keep the faith despite acts of intimidation and attempts to narrow the democratic space.

“As you know, since 2015, I have led Bayelsa State in opposition and helped ensure that our state was not overrun by desperate and criminally minded politicians seeking to use federal institutions to intimidate innocent voters.

“Let me be clear: no one will be allowed to intimidate voters in their communities in Bayelsa State in the next election. Those who plan to use federal might to write fake results, and intimidate our people with soldiers, police and thugs are living in the past, and they will fail.

“We will continue to educate and mobilise our young people, women, community leaders and all citizens to reject violence, resist intimidation, participate peacefully in the democratic process, vote out those who oppress them, and lawfully defend their votes.

“Thank you all for your belief, trust, confidence, solidarity, and prayers. I look forward to seeing you soon. Please keep up the good work for our people, our state, our country, and our democracy. Nigeria, and indeed no state in Nigeria, must ever be allowed to become a one-party state,” he wrote.