By Charles Joseph (with additional information from NAN)
The News Agency of Nigeria is reporting that the Chairman of Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, Dr Bertola Perekeme has resigned his position.
In his resignation letter sighted by NAN, Perekeme said he was quitting his job as a result of threats to his life and that of his family members.
In the letter addressed to state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, the SIEC boss expressed the hope that his resignation would not affect the conduct of the council polls scheduled for August 10.
NAN confirmed that the state government, through a statement released today (Saturday) by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, has accepted the resignation of Mr. Perekeme and thanked him for his services to the commission, especially for setting in motion the process to conduct the August 10 local council election.
The statement added that Governor Dickson has assured that the council poll would still go on as planned, even as the most senior member of the commission has been asked to take charge in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.