The All Progressives Congress has chosen the direct method for the conduct of its governorship primary in Kogi State.
In a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission dated April 6, 2023, the interim National Chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, announced the decision to switch from indirect to direct primaries.
The letter partly read, “We refer to our earlier letter dated January 25, 2023, with reference no: APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/023/191 wherein we notified the commission of the mode of primary election for the conduct of the governorship primary election in Kogi State.
“However, our great party, the All Progressives Congress has reviewed the modalities for the conduct of the governorship primary Election in Kogi state and has therefore resorted to adopt the direct mode of primary election instead of the indirect mode as earlier communicated.
“The date for the conduct of the primary election still remains Friday, April 14, 2023.
“Following the above, there shall be a Special Congress to ratify the candidate with the highest number of votes at the Gubernatorial Primary Election in Kogi State scheduled for Saturday, April 15, 2023.”
Bello’s chief of staff, Abdulkareem Asuku, the auditor general, Ahmed Ododo, and the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Salami Ozigi-Deedat, all paid N50m to pick up their nomination and expression of interest forms at the APC national secretariat in Abuja in January, which gave the race to succeed him momentum.
James Faleke, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Murtala Ajaka, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, and Smart Adeyemi, a senator from Kogi West Senatorial District are the other contenders in the race.
Political analysts are speculating over whether Bello would be prepared to sacrifice his deputy governor, Edward Onoja, for a candidate in Kogi west for the sake of equity given that Onoja has never concealed his desire to succeed him as leader.
In a related development, an Abuja Federal High Court, on Wednesday, nullified the state All Progressive Congress’ delegate list for the purpose of nominating a governorship candidate for the party in the November governorship elections.
Justice James Omotosho, while delivering Judgment, voided the ward and local government congresses said to have been conducted on February 7 on the grounds that they were not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and the Constitution of the APC.
The suit was brought up by a group of aggrieved APC members led by Realwan Okpanachi.
