TRACKING >The All Progressives Congress (APC) has shifted its primary election in Bayelsa State to Saturday. The election was scheduled for today.
This was contained in a letter by National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and Acting National Secretary Victor Giadom to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
The letter said the shift was caused by planning and logistic reasons.
It reads: “We wish to advise that due to planning and logistic reasons, we have rescheduled… our primary election in respect of the Bayelsa State governorship election to… Saturday, August 31…”
The letter was silent on the stormy issue of whether the party would adopt direct or indirect primaries.
Party leaders and aspirants are divided, with some pushing for direct and others insisting on indirect.
A Bayelsa State High Court in Sagbama ordered the National Working Committee (NWC) to stop adoption of direct primaries.
It was gathered that the order obtained by aggrieved members of APC restrained the NWC from going ahead with Saturday’s primary using the direct mode.
The applicants are Japan Christopher, Evinson Olotu, Oddu Oyimiebi and Obriki Isaiah. The first respondents are Adams Oshiomhole and some NWC members, while the second respondents are Jonathan Amos and State Working Committee members are second respondents.
The applicants prayed for an order “abridging the time for which the respondents may enter appearance and file their …counter affidavits and written addresses …”
They also prayed for an “interim injunction restraining the first respondents from adopting the direct primaries … pending the hearing and determination of the …summons.”
Justice E.G. Umukoro ruled that the enrolled order of the court be served with hearing notices to respondents within 48 hours.
