The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries were tainted by the blood of a member of the electoral committee as crises in the party deepened in Akwa Ibom, Sokoto, Delta, Rivers and other states.
The electoral committee member whose name couldn’t be immediately ascertained, was shot in Taraba State following the protest over the exercise.
Trouble had initially started after the primary committee said the direct mode of primary would be used for the exercise instead of the indirect or consensus mode that had earlier been communicated to the state chapter of the party by the national headquarters.
In the ensuing confusion, a committee member was said to have been shot and rushed to a hospital in Jalingo where he is recuperating.
The State Police Command had to move all aspirants and officials to its headquarters to avert further breach of peace.
Akwa Ibom
Struggle for control before two factions of the party resulted in a parallel primary exercises in Akwa Ibom.
While the faction backed by a former minister of Niger Delta Affairs and a presidential aspirant of the party, Godswill Akpabio, held its primary at its own office in Ekpo Obot Street, Uyo, the one loyal to a former national secretary of the party, John Akpanudoedehe held its own at Sheergrace Arena, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, and the Commissioner for Police in the state, Andrew Amiengheme, were sighted at Sheergrace Arena with their officials to monitor the primary to be conducted by the faction loyal to Mr Akpanudoedehe.
Oyo
The governorship primary in Oyo State scheduled to hold at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan has to be postponed as all attempt to control the crowd which trooped to the venue failed.
The APC primary committee chaiman Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi said the exercise had to be shifted to Fiday due to security reasons.
Abia
Chief Ikechi Emenike earler emerged as the winner of the governorship primary in Abia State amid protests by five other contenders for the ticket.
However, the celebration over the outcome by the Emenike’s camp was halted by an Abia high court ruling nullifying the process.
The court presided by Justice O. A Chijioke, in a suit instituted by Mr. Chinedum Nwole and two others, declared that Emenike lacked the locus standi to contest the primary election based on the fact that he had been suspended from the party.
The court ruled that both Emenike and the Abia state chairman of the party, Chief Donatus Nwakpa breached article 9.3 of the APC constitution by going ahead to participate in the primary election.
The court declared as illegal the participation of the duo in the ward, local council, state and the recently held national convention of the party.
Rivers
The Rivers State governorship primary which produced business mogul, Tonye Cole as winner, was boycotted by a key contender and party stalwart, Magnus Abe, who has vowed to challenge the process.
Abe is the leader of a faction opposed to that of the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Abe’s camp earlier announced its withdrawal from the contest which process it said, was “skewed, biased and prejudiced”.
Sokoto
Two aspirants, Senator Abubakar Gada and Balarabe Salame shunned the exercise, while vowing to contest its outcome in court.
Gada and Salame had insisted on a direct primary to elect the party’s candidate.
They said, “The Chairman (the national chairman) should recall that only a few days to the primaries a pronouncement was made by the Sokoto Federal High Court with a confused pronouncement that is neither here nor there.
“Consequently, to put the party in a strong position, six out of seven aspirants formally requested direct primary as contained in the electoral act 2022 as amended”
“We however vowed to be on the side of the law by deciding to keep away from the charade about to take place in the Sokoto State APC.
“We make bold to submit that whatever happens in the course of this so-called exercise cannot stand the text of the law, thereby putting the state chapter at the highest risk of nullification.”
Delta
In Delta where the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege was declared winner, there was boycott of the exercise by key stakeholders such as Minister of State for Labor and Employment, Festus Keyamo; Dr Cairo Ojougboh; and a former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Victor Ochei.
Omo-Agege, who polled 1,190 votes, emerged unopposed.
