APC Shifts Bayelsa Guber Primary to Tuesday

 National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun

• Bayelsa Primary: Oshiomhole-led Committee Frets over Insecurity

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja


The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rescheduled the Bayelsa State governorship primary for Tuesday next week.

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Timi Frank, in statement in Abuja, said the postponement was a directive from the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

According to him, the exercise  earlier fixed for Saturday September  19, 2015 will now take place on Tuesday. September 22, 2015.
He, however, said the time and the venue for the programme remain unchanged.

The statement read: “I am directed to inform the Bayelsa State executive committee of the APC, all APC governorship aspirants and all our teaming members and supporters in the state that the governorship primaries earlier scheduled for Saturday the 19th will now hold on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

“The venue and time for the exercise remain unchanged.”

Meanwhile, members of the  committee for the Bayelsa State governorship of the  APC  led by Edo State Governor has asked the party to ensure adequate security during the conduct of the primary election.

A member of the committee, Hon. Chinedu Eluemunoh, told the leadership that the concern over security was based on the volatile condition of things in the state ahead the governorship election.

The party had scheduled primary election for Saturday 19 thus week, to take place at Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenogoa.

But Eluemunoh said the committee would not ruling out the possibility of threat of insecurity that could mar the party’s primary election on Saturday.
Eluemunoh said: “We are worried about the volatile environment where the primary election will take place, we are of the hope that adequate security will be provided in the course of discharging our duties.”

Responding, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Osita Izunaso, who inaugurated the committee, allayed the fear of insecurity assuring that the Bayelsa police command and the state security service will be on hand to ensure the safety of lives and properties during and after the primaries.
Isunazo also reeled out modalities for the primary election, saying that the requisite means of identification for all the delegates would be their permanent voters card (PVC), international passport and national identity cards.

According to Izunaso, no other means of identity should be accepted by the committee members for identification by the delegates.

The APC national organising secretary also reminded members of the committee that are expected to forward any petition that may come to their table after the conduct of the primary to the appeal committee for consideration.

The Bayelsa APC governorship primary will feature an epic clash between the former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Silva and former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Timi Alaibe as the candidate as well as 17 other aspirants.

The secretary of the committee, Senator Ishaq Salman, who spoke on behalf of Adams Oshiomhole and other members of the committee including APC chieftain from Jigwa, Alhaji Nasiru Dano assured that the committee will do its best to ensure a free fair and credible primaries in the history of the party.