EXCLUSIVE: Frankland exposes why he resigned as Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC

The Resident Electoral Commissioner REC of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in Cross River Thursday, gave insights into why he resigned his appointment as REC of INEC in the state.
Dr Frankland O. Briyai made this known in Calabar, Cross River capital city while addressing journalists in the state.

Dr Briyai who resigned 8th August 2019 said he did so because of the call by Nigerians resident and indigenous Bayelsa to join in the 16th November 2019 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa. He observed that his disposition to heed their call is premised on the basis of the need to rescue the people of the state.

According to the former don ‘My attention has been drawn to some recent social media posts and main stream print media reports linking me as a ‘would-be aspirant for the November, 16th, 2019 gubernatorial elections.

‘On Saturday, the 21st of July, 2019 of meaningful and pragmatic Bayelsans that sincerely love their state held a very peaceful rally in Yenagoa, calling my humble self to contest the November 16th gubernatorial election. I have critically considered their demands and dilemma. I have heard their call to selfless service that had always been my lifestyle.

‘For the sake of the very important call to rescuing the kind, peace loving and great people of Bayelsa State : I have resigned my appointment as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with effect from Thursday 8th August 2019.’

Dr Briyai noted that the successful and unbiased conduct of elections into the State House of Assembly elections on 11th August and 8th November 2018 in Obudu State Constituency and Ikom 2 State Constituency respectively, and the 23rd February and 9th March 2019 general elections in the State, a feat which inspired commendations compels him to believe that he has ‘the ability and capacity to harness the wealth of the state that will be translated in a geometric rate of development.’

The former REC who will be running for the state top job on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress APC himself being a progressive cautioned the electorate in Bayelsa to shun vote selling as this would sustain the current hardship they are already facing. He advised against political thuggery while calling for peace before, during and after the gubernatorial elections.

When quizzed about his choice of the APC in the forthcoming 2019 gubernatorial elections in a PDP dominated state, Dr Briyai explained that the electorates in Bayelsa having learnt their lessons over the years, currently do not care about the political affiliation but according to him ‘the integrity of the candidate.’

Dr Briyai promised to invoke the inculcated virtues of integrity, honesty, selflessness, contentment, philanthropy and godliness gleaned from a successful and useful experience from the military, academia and public service for a speedy development of Bayelsa.

It is alledged that, Cross River INEC is the most developed state INEC office nation-wide owing to physical infrastructures constructed within the office premises started just February 2019 especially without official funding.