Bayelsa State Returning Officer cum Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, declared Dickson winner of the contest.
Announcing the result, Ajienka said the PDP candidate polled a total of 417,500 votes. His closest rival, Famous Daunemigha of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), came second with 23,548 votes, followed by the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) candidate, Dr. Imoro Kubor, who scored 22,534 votes while Kemela Okara of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) polled 9,627 votes.
Accordingly, the state returning officer declared Dickson of the PDP as winner of the polls, saying: "Seriake Dickson, having satisfied the requirement of the law by scoring the highest number of votes, is hereby declared winner of the governorship election in Bayelsa State and returned elected."
But before Ajienka's announcement, some of the 35 political parties that participated in the governorship election complained that the results should have been announced before they signed it.
They also decried the decision of the Returning Officer not to disclose the total number of registered voters and votes cast in the election, which was marred by voters' apathy.
It was reported that a boat heading for Apoi in Southern Ijaw capsized, leading to the loss of all materials meant for Ward 15 Unit 18 to 35. According to sources, the boat, which was travelling from Okunbiri part of the local council, had seven NYSC members, a Supervisory Polling Officer, three policemen, two soldiers on board.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state has rejected the declared result, describing it as "not representing the wish and will of the people of Bayelsa."
The party said the "unimaginable result released is simply a manipulation and distribution of scores by INEC."
The ACN alleged that the election was characterised by "irregularities, snatching of ballot boxes, multiple thumb-printing and voters' inducement, hence cannot be adjudged to be free and fair."
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated Dickson and his running-mate, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd.), on their emergence as governor-elect and deputy governor-elect of Bayelsa State.
The President also thanked "the good people of his home state, Bayelsa, for voting overwhelmingly for his party, the PDP, in the governorship election, according to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.
The statement added: "As they prepare to assume office at the helm of governance in Bayelsa State, the President urges them to fully dedicate their tenure to giving effective, purposeful and result-oriented leadership to the people of the state who clearly re-affirmed their confidence in the PDP on Saturday.
President Jonathan expects that Dickson and his incoming administration in Bayelsa State will work with total dedication and commitment to justify the peoples' confidence by rapidly delivering visible and significant improvements in the living conditions of residents of the state.
"The President assures Hon. Dickson of the full support, assistance and co-operation of the Federal Government and prays that God Almighty will grant him a very successful tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State."
Dickson was the obvious choice of the ruling PDP, as the party excluded the Supreme Court-removed former Governor Timipreye Sylva from its primaries.
There were concerns that the election might be stopped by a court injunction since some Bayelsa stakeholders, including Sylva, are still in court over a potpourri of matters relating to the PDP primaries and governorship polls proper.
There were unconfirmed reports that Sylva has sent his family abroad while the former governor is still in the country. However, he was not seen anywhere in Yenagoa before, during and after Saturday's election.
Also, the Bayelsa State Acting Governor, Nestor Binabo, has congratulated Dickson, saying the PDP candidate's victory was a clear demonstration that the people of Bayelsa State have conviction in his ability to deliver on all his campaign promises. The acting governor promised a smooth transition to the governor elect.
In a related development, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has attributed the low turnout in the Balyesa polls to purported refusal by the candidates to induce the voters with money.
However, the association commended all candidates in the polls for their conduct, regardless of the voters' apathy.
The NBA, through its Election Working Group (EWG), alleged that some voters who stayed away from casting their votes on Saturday threatened to disrupt the process because the money they expected from some candidates did not come.
In its preliminary report released to the media entitled, "A peaceful and orderly election", the NBA said: "Some of the voters refused to vote and or threatened to disrupt the electoral process on account of the fact that they expected funds from certain individuals that made promises to them which said promise was not fulfilled at the time of accreditation and voting."
The report by Dafe Akpedeye (SAN), Chairman, NBA (EWG) and Festus Okoye, Alternate Chairman NBA (EWG), pointed out that "even though voters' turnout was low, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) used the election to prove to the world that is was capable of conducting peaceful polls."
Condemning the location of some polling units in front of people's houses, the NBA called for "an urgent review of the location of all the polling units in Bayelsa State and throughout the federation."
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