Bayelsa 2015: APC rescheduled primaries to Tuesday

Oshiomhole submits report amid controversies

Following the crisis that marred the gubernatorial primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, the leadership of the party on Monday confirmed that the rescheduled election would take place on Tuesday at the Samson Siasia Stadium under tight security.

The national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, briefing newsmen after the meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and members of the committee that conducted the primaries in Bayelsa, said the need to provide a level playing ground for all the aspirants informed the party’s decision to call for a fresh primaries.

“The NWC sees it as a duty to provide a level playing ground for all those who aspire to offices in this party. We had serious security challenges and so the process could not meet the standards which this party has set for itself and so we had no alternative but to stop the process by ensuring that the chairman of the panel was effectively moved out of the venue with the help of security agencies.

“We decided thereafter that there should be a proper, fresh primaries. So, today the party decided, we have written to INEC appropriately decided to conduct fresh primaries for the Bayelsa governorship election beginning tomorrow.

“We are getting in touch with the Inspector General of Police and all the other security agencies to please assist us in ensuring effective security,” Oyegun said.

On his part, chairman of committee, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, who stormed the party secretariat at about 1:30pm in the company of heavily armed security men due to the alleged report of a planned attack by those who were not disposed to his role in the primaries, confirmed to newsmen that that the primaries was marred with violence.

INEC had given October 7 as deadline for the submission of list of candidates for Bayelsa governorship election but the APC at this moment had yet to submit the names of its candidate and its deputy to the electoral body due to the controversy that trailed its primaries held on Tuesday, September 24.