Mr Eradiri, who addressed a press briefing at his Yenagoa campaign office on Tuesday, said the election was marred by irregularities and malpractices, especially vote-buying, which he described as a crime against humanity.
He alleged that the state government used the state resources to induce and compromise voters, and also to intimidate and harass the opposition.
He said: “Our state resources were used to intimidate our traumatised people, who have been impoverished by this government. This government deliberately weaponised poverty and forced the people to sell their conscience for money at the polls.”
He added: “I consider vote-buying a crime against humanity. I cannot engage in vote buying because it is a demonstration of a lack of performance, unpopularity, incompetence and leadership failure. I have always emphasised its incompetence. I am shocked at the level it took the malfeasance to. The state government has added another record to its bag of incompetent achievements, making the November 11 Bayelsa election the most monetised poll in the history of the country.”
He also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agents of conniving with the state government to rig the election in favour of the PDP.
He said: “They have to be probed. I wonder why INEC cannot enforce its rules to ensure credible elections in the country. There was intimidation and harassment of voters, violence, bypass of BVAS, among other irregularities, which vitiated whatever results they announced at the collation centre.”
He claimed that he was the rightful winner of the election, as he had the valid votes of the eligible voters who defied the inducements and voted for him.
He said: “I contested this election to prove a point that this incompetence in Bayelsa can be challenged. I contested to solve the problems of lack of potable water, dearth of infrastructures, ravaging poverty and rot in the educational sector.”
He commended his supporters and the people of Bayelsa for their courage and resilience, and urged them to remain calm and peaceful.
He said: “I contested this election to prove a point that this incompetence in Bayelsa can be challenged. I contested to solve the problems of lack of potable water, dearth of infrastructures, ravaging poverty and rot in the educational sector.”
He also said that he would explore all legal means to challenge the outcome of the election and reclaim his mandate.
The INEC had declared Governor Diri as the winner of the election, after polling 292,344 votes to defeat his closest rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 120,189 votes.
The election was held amid tight security and low turnout of voters, as many people stayed away from the polls due to fear of violence and intimidation.
The election was also marred by reports of ballot box snatching, vote-buying, and attacks on electoral officials and observers.
The LP candidate, Mr Eradiri, who is a former president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), had campaigned on the platform of restructuring, resource control, and youth empowerment.
He had also promised to tackle the challenges of insecurity, unemployment, and environmental degradation in the state.
(NAN)