The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Net­work has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid subjecting Nigerians to an­other round of heartaches in the Bayelsa Governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023.

The Coordinator of the group, Mr James Oputin said in a state­ment on Friday that the discor­dant tunes coming from INEC on the issue of the electronic trans­mission of results is generating so much doubts and tension.

Oputin said that while the State Resident Electoral Com­missioner, Ofiong Efanga, jolted Bayelsans by saying that INEC would adopt manual transmis­sion of election results, the Chair­man, Prof Mahmud Yakubu has come out to overrule him.

Yakubu had said penultimate Saturday that the results of the November 11 governorship elec­tions in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states would be transmitted elec­tronically.

Oputin said that the people are doubtful of INEC’s conflict­ing declarations from the state and the federal level on the sensitive issue of the electronic transmission of results which is expected to reduce drastically the disturbing incidence of electoral violence in the state.

He noted that Nigerians have not forgotten how the same INEC under Prof Yakubu abruptly opt­ed to transmit the Presidential election result manually after weeks of intense media reas­surances to Nigerians that the election would be transmitted electronically.

He urged Prof Yakubu to pre­pare the minds of the Bayelsa voters and stakeholders on what to expect as most people seem to have dismissed his statement as yet another ambush on Election Day.

Oputin also called on the Bayelsa REC, Efanga to address the press on the disturbing con­flict on the issue of the planned deployment of electronic trans­mission of results.

He said that it is a difficult task to convince a person who has been a victim of trust-related dis­appointment to believe someone carrying an albatross of trust.

Oputin, who called on Nigeri­ans especially the media to hold INEC accountable to its promises also urged the electoral umpire to be conscious of the corrosive effects of failed promises and dampened expectations on its image.

The PDP youth leader said that what the party and indeed Bayelsans expect from INEC is an impartial conduct of the forth­coming election.

He stressed that the over­whelming popularity of the Governor Douye Diri who has executed projects his opponents once considered impossible is what the party needs to retain the Creek Haven, Yenagoa, Gov­ernment House.

Oputin said that Bayelsans are pleased with Diri who has ensured stability in the state apart from projects such as the Nembe- Brass Road, the Central Senatorial Road and continua­tion of many huge projects he inherited from his predecessor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.

“The PDP Youth Network has observed with serious concern the conflicting remarks about the issue of the deployment of elec­tronic transmission of results in the Bayelsa governorship elec­tions scheduled for November 11.

“We note that the INEC Chair­man, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu and Resident Electoral Commis­sioner in the state are not on the same page in this issue. If there is anything they know that seems to impede their preparation and the more efficient electronic transmission of result, they should speak out now.

“Bayela is a largely riverine state and we are of the view that electronic transmission of re­sults would reduce or erase the ugly incident associated with results snatching witnessed in previous elections.

“We call on the Nigeria public to hold INEC accountable to its words. We also challenge Prof Mahmud and his team to ensure that promises made to Nigerians are not seen as attempts to lay am­bush on Election Day.

“As a party, we only need the soaring popularity of Governor Douye Diri who has performed above expectations to retain po­litical control in the state.”