BAYELSA: INEC chairman resigns over threat to his life

Bertola Perekeme, the Chairman of Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), has resigned his position, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

In his resignation letter dated May 31, Perekeme cited threats to his life and that of his family members as reasons for his decision.

However, he hoped the development would not jeopardise the council polls scheduled for Aug. 10.

The resignation letter sighted by NAN in Yenagoa on Saturday was addressed to Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.

NAN recalls that Perekeme had on April 27 postponed the election earlier slated for July 27, to Aug. 10, pledging that the polls will be free, fair and credible.

The resignation raised doubts over the conduct of the Aug. 10 council elections in the eight local government areas of the state.

The resignation was confirmed in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in Yenagoa on Saturday.

Iworiso-Markson said Gov. Dickson had accepted the resignation and thanked Perekeme for his services to the commission, particularly for setting in motion the process to conduct the Aug. 10 local council election.

Dickson assured that the council poll would still go on, regardless of the development, as other members of the commission were in quorum to carry on with the business of conducting hitch free council polls.

The statement noted that the most senior member of the commission would take charge in acting capacity, pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.