The governorship election in Bayelsa State has opened on a bloody note with four persons already gunned down.

In Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Tiwei Orunnimighe and an ex-militant, Ogunbos, as early as 6:00 a.m. allegedly led thugs to open fire to disrupt the distribution of election materials.

The sporadic gunshots led to the death of four peoples as the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) tried to repel the rampaging armed thugs.

Gunshots have also been reported in Brass and Nembe Bassambri, where political thugs are said to be having a field day.

In Nember, a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Princess Ingo Iwowari, was reportedly attacked and stripped of all her belongings, including cash.

A worried resident pleaded: “The security operatives should as a matter of urgency deploy more of their men to the area.”

The election is a straight fight between incumbent governor Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his predecessor cum main rival, Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

•Photo shows gunmen.