The state government noted that a situation where names of non-Bayelsans were used to fill the positions meant for Bayelsa people, was unacceptable and totally against the principles of federal character and due process. The statement noted that while each local government area across the country was meant to produce 10 candidates, that of Bayelsa were filled with fictitious names of persons, who were not from the particular local government areas. It emphasised that Bayelsa, made up of eight local government areas, was entitled to 80 candidates, but the lopsided manner in which the exercise was conducted, had further depleted the state’s quota. The government called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and related offences Commission, the Police Service Commission and the Federal Character Commissions as well as other related agencies of the government to urgently investigate, correct the anomaly and equally bring the perpetrators of the fraud to book. The government stressed that failure to correct the seeming imbalance and fraud against Bayelsa and the Ijaw ethnic nationality, would be seen as a deliberate move by the Nigerian system to shortchange the state, its people and the entire Ijaw ethnic nationality. The statement also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to step into the matter, saying it was a dent on the current fight against corruption.]]>