Essential Ndubuisi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to hold its governorship primaries in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states on Saturday. The primaries, which were postponed from April 10 to 14 due to Easter Monday, will feature 24 aspirants vying for the party’s tickets in the three states.
Kogi state has the highest number of aspirants, with 17 individuals bidding to take over from Governor Yahaya Bello. Among the Kogi aspirants are deputy governor Edward David Onoja, Senator Smart Adeyemi, former Executive Director Sanusi Ohiare, and the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka.
In Bayelsa, six aspirants are vying for the governorship ticket. This includes immediate-past Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva, who will be competing against his former protégé and 2019 short-lived governor-elect, Chief David Lyon.
The indirect mode of the primaries, initially slated for Kogi, is currently under review by a committee set up by the National Working Committee following petitions against it. Meanwhile, the exercise in Bayelsa and Imo will be through the direct mode.
At a meeting with the aspirants and stakeholders, Governor Yahaya Bello called for a peaceful and free primary. The Secretary to the APC Presidential Campaign Council, James Abiodun Faleke, has also demanded the zoning of the governorship slot to Kogi West in the interest of fairness and unity.
On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is scheduled to hold its governorship primary election today. Its spokesperson, Collins Opurozor, said the exercise will hold at the party’s secretariat in Owerri. PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, is the frontrunner after former short-term governor Emeka Ihedioha withdrew from the race.
