Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Sunday night lamented the reports of violence and deaths trailing the rescheduled governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu in Abuja said it was unacceptable that an election meant to produce a governor for the state was turned into a theatre of warfare with attendant loss of lives and destruction of property.

He called on the security agencies already mobilized to the state to quickly restore peace, while urging them to ensure that the perpetrators of violence are identified, arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

"The sheer level of violence that has been reported following the conduct of the rescheduled elections in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area is absolutely unacceptable. To descend to the use of force in a democratic process will no doubt negate and put a question mark on the outcome of the elections.

"I call on the security agencies to quickly end the bloodbath and also ensure that those responsible for the violence are arrested and prosecuted irrespective of the political affiliation," Saraki stated.

Signed:

Yusuph Olaniyonu

Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Senate President.